Press Release: IMF Deputy Managing Director Mitsuhiro Furusawa Visits Indonesia

June 16, 2015

Press Release No. 15/276
June 16, 2015

Mr. Mitsuhiro Furusawa, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), issued the following statement in Jakarta at the conclusion of his visit to Indonesia:

“It has been a great pleasure for me to visit Indonesia for the first time as the IMF Deputy Managing Director. My special gratitude goes to Vice President Jusuf Kalla, Bank Indonesia Governor Agus Martowardojo, Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs Sofyan Djalil and Minister of Finance Bambang Brodjonegoro for the frank exchange of views and productive discussions. I also had a fruitful meeting with Mr. Fadel Muhammad, Chairman of the commission on finance and banking in Indonesia’s House of Representatives (DPR).

“In my meetings, I emphasized that the IMF remains a committed partner for Indonesia through our regular policy dialogue and technical support. I also discussed the extensive reforms to IMF surveillance activities and financing facilities in recent years to make them better tailored to individual country needs.

“I commended the Indonesian authorities for the significant steps they have taken in the past few years to strengthen policy and reserve buffers. These efforts have been anchored by sound monetary management, aimed at strengthening the economy’s resilience to shocks, and by a prudent fiscal stance, underpinned by fuel subsidy reforms. These efforts to maintain macroeconomic stability remain important in light of risks stemming from the commodity down-cycle and shifts in global financial conditions.

“Our discussions also focused on reinvigorating growth. While economic prospects for Indonesia are favorable over the medium term, I encouraged the authorities to pursue a strong and well-articulated structural reform agenda, along with accelerated infrastructure development, to unleash Indonesia’s growth potential and provide new employment opportunities in a timely manner. I further noted that upfront moves in this direction could open macroeconomic policy space to support to growth by helping mitigate risks and boosting confidence.”

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