Indonesia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023 serves as a momentum to address the digital divide in the Southeast Asian region. Communications and Informatics Minister Budi Arie Setiadi explained that Indonesia is raising current issues as the ASEAN Chair in the digital sector to achieve the ASEAN Digital Community 2040.

“We address the issue of digital divide by emphasizing government programs such as the Palapa Ring, digital human resource development programs, and the issue of personal data protection in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Law,” said the minister during a seminar called “ASEAN Digital Connectivity Seminar to Strengthen the Epicentrum of Growth” for the LXV Regular Education Program (PPRA) of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) in Central Jakarta, Communications and Informatics Ministry (MCIT) Office, Tuesday (22 August).

According to him, the current ASEAN negotiations are focusing on several Framework Agreements, including the ASEAN Framework on Personal Data Protection, the ASEAN International Mobile Roaming, and the ASEAN Digital Data Governance Framework.

“We cannot turn a blind eye to the issue of digital divide among ASEAN countries, such as internet speed, internet usage, and technology production,” he said.

In addition to the launch of these frameworks, Minister Budi Arie explained that ASEAN has initiated several annual digital talent development programs.

“For example, the ASEAN Cyber-Kids Camp that has been held since 2009, the ASEAN ICT Innovation Award since 2011, the ASEAN Makers Hackathon since 2017, and the ASEAN-Japan Cyber SEA Game since 2018,” said the minister.

Minister Budi Arie stated that these issues will be specifically discussed in several meetings prepared by the Communications and Informatics Ministry, such as the ASEAN TFFN Meeting, the ASEAN GSMA Workshop, the Digital Economy Supply Chain Workshop, and the ATRC – ADGSOM Meeting, which is currently taking place in Bali.

“It is important for us to take real actions that can be carried out across the ASEAN region by investing more in digital infrastructure. This is a momentum for the digital economy to make a significant contribution to economic growth in ASEAN,” said the minister who quoted a previous statement made by the ASEAN Secretary-General, Kao Kim Hourn.

Public Relations Bureau of the Ministry of Communications and Informatics Ministry