The Directorate of Community Service at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and the Directorate General of Budget Financing and Risk Management at the Indonesian Ministry of Finance jointly organized SDG Talks with the theme “Financing the SDGs: Decade of Actions.”
The event aimed to raise public awareness about the importance of sustainable financing and encourage cross-sector collaboration to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Indonesia.
The event, held at the UGM Graduate School (SPs UGM), was opened by Professor Indra Wijaya Kusuma, Head of the Quality Assurance and Reputation Unit at UGM. The keynote speaker was Ubaidi Socheh Hamidi, Secretary of the Directorate General of Budget Financing and Risk Management at the Ministry of Finance.
Muhammad Sulaiman, Coordinator of the Community Service Unit at SPs UGM, also spoke at the event alongside other speakers such as Setyo Budiantoro, Manager of the Economic Development Pillar at the National SDGs Secretariat, Bappenas; Dr. Deni Ridwan, Director of State Bonds, Ministry of Finance; Saiful Bahri, Head of the Center for Human Resource Education and Training in Industry; Nila Murti, ASSIST JP National Project Manager, UNDP Indonesia; and Dr. Atrida Hadianti, lecturer at the UGM Faculty of Engineering (FT UGM) and PWK/RCE Youth Coordinator who acted as the moderator.
During the event, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Directorate General of Budget Financing and Risk Management at the Ministry of Finance and the Directorate of Community Service at UGM.
The agreement, signed by Ubaidi Socheh Hamidi and Dr. Rustamadji, Director of the Community Service at UGM, focuses on education and support for activities in education, research, and knowledge development in state financial management.
The event, attended by many students, provided an essential platform for sharing knowledge and experiences in achieving sustainable development goals. It emphasized the critical role of young people, especially students, as agents of change.
Through their active participation and engagement, students are expected to bring innovation and new energy to the collective effort to achieve the SDGs, ensuring sustainability and prosperity for Indonesia’s future.
The event explored various strategies and methods for effectively financing the SDGs and enhancing collaboration among multiple stakeholders.
Professor Kusuma stated in his opening remarks, “Collaboration is crucial to achieving the SDGs. We are honored to host this important event at UGM. It is essential for us to explore and implement effective strategies for financing the SDGs to ensure sustainable development for future generations.”
In his keynote address, Ubaidi Socheh Hamidi emphasized the importance of proper financing to achieve sustainable development goals. He believes appropriate SDG financing is key to achieving sustainable development goals, primarily through the state budget (APBN).
“Through collaboration and innovation, we can ensure that every goal is met with adequate resources,” he asserted.
He highlighted that Indonesia has achieved relatively stable economic growth over the past decade. However, challenges such as demographic bonuses, post-pandemic economic recovery, poverty alleviation, quality education improvement, climate change impacts, urbanization, and sustainable natural resource management remain.
During the discussion, Dr. Deni Ridwan highlighted the role of the state budget in sustainable development from revenue and expenditure perspectives, including financing aspects.
He mentioned the government’s creation of innovative financing to support sustainable development projects in Indonesia, including SDG Bonds and future Retail SDG Bonds for individuals.
Setyo Budiantoro from Bappenas shared the government’s commitment to supporting SDG achievement through innovative and inclusive policies.
“Government support for achieving SDGs continues through innovative and inclusive policies,” he stated.
Nila Murti from UNDP Indonesia emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration to ensure sustainable financing for SDGs.
“UNDP continues to advocate for the government and other stakeholders to achieve these goals together,” she said.
Muhammad Sulaiman underscored the significant role of young people and students in achieving the SDGs, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between academics and practitioners to create sustainable and practical solutions.
“At UGM, we strive to inspire and empower students to become agents of change in supporting the SDGs because they are the future leaders who will continue these efforts,” he explained.
Saiful Bahri highlighted the importance of human resources education and training as a long-term investment in supporting the SDGs.
He mentioned that the Ministry of Industry has taken various steps to integrate vocational education programs with SDG objectives, particularly in education and industry.
“These programs are designed to ensure that graduates are ready to work and support sustainable development,” he said.
Author: Agung Nugroho