First of all, I would like to express a very warm
welcome to the honorable ministers, my fellow governors, and distinguished participants. I
also would like to greet the Managing Director and the IMF staff team and commend their
hard work, which has made it possible for us to conduct this joint conference.
It is an honor for Bank Indonesia to co-host such an important and timely conference.
As we all are aware, structural changes, in conjunction with the globalization of trade and
investment, have reshaped the world economy and sharpened the competitive edge of those
countries that were best able to take advantage of the possibilities offered by this process.
Yet, the challenges faced by ASEAN countries continue to grow in complexity. This
conference will, therefore, serve as a good means for us not only to reflect on these
challenges, but also to learn from the experience of other countries.
I am confident that this conference will meet its objectives. The presence here of so
many distinguished figures from the public and private sectors and from academia assures
me of this. Finally, we could only benefit from the many commendable presentations they
will make, and the conclusions that will emerge from this conference.
Again, welcome to Bank Indonesia, and enjoy your stay in Jakarta.
