Indonesia, Australia to Hold the First Digital Conference

Jakarta, InfoPublik - Australian and Indonesian experts of various digital sectors will gather in Jakarta this week for a two-day conference, first held by both countries.

The Australia-Indonesia Digital Forum is a joint initiative of the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as they met last year in Sydney, aiming to increase cooperation in science, technology and innovation. Australian and Indonesian citizens engaged in start-up, fintech, digital health and smart government, cyber security, as well as creative industries will be present in this event which will be held from 31 January to 1 February.

On its first day, the Forum focused on five streams - creative industry, cyber security, digital health, fintech and start-up, as well as smart government. On the second day, the main day of the Forum, high-level representatives of both countries will participate in the opening event and a segment titled "Next Big Things" which introduces the latest digital developments. Both activities will be broadcasted live on the Australian Embassy’s Facebook page.

A host of speakers included Andy Penn, CEO of Australia's largest telecommunications company, Telstra; Stephanie Arrowsmith, one of the founders of co-working Impact Hub Jakarta; Australian Ambassador to Cyber Affairs Dr. Tobias Feakin; and Grace Tahir, founder of Medico health management system. Workshop sessions, panel discussions and networking will provide an opportunity for delegation members to establish connections in government, business, academic and civil society sector.

The Australian Chargé d'Affaires for Indonesia Allaster Cox, in an Australian Embassy press released on Wednesday, said Australia and Indonesia could both benefit from sharing ideas and expertise to capture the potential for digital commerce and technology-enabled development.

"The forum has been designed to generate new networks, partnerships and relationships that will benefit both countries as we seek to seize the opportunities of the digital age," he said. (Siti Chodijah)