SBY opens retreat on economic strategy
The Jakarta Post, Tampaksiring | Mon, 04/19/2010 11:14 AM | National
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened a meeting to formulate a strategy to attain ambitious economic goals for the next four years.
The "retreat" practically moved the seat of government for the next three days to this lush presidential palace in this hill village. Until its conclusion Wednesday the president, vice president and the entire membes of the Cabinet, will be here to brainstorm a new strategy with other stakeholders, including provincial governors, chair of provinicial legislative councils, business leaders and academics.
Yudhoyono already laid down the targets of the strategy, including an economic growth of 7 percent a year by 2014, bringing unemployment down to 5-6 percent, cutting poverty rate to 8-10 percent, and raising per capita income to $4,500 per year.
He said there was ground for optimism as Indonesia as laid down the foundations for much of the last five years have placed the economy among the strongest and fastest growth in Asia and the world.
The challenge in the next five years, he said, is to push for higher growth with equity under his triple-track economic strategy that is pro-growth, pro-jobs and pro-poor. (emb)
