Jakarta, February 20, 2025 – The Deputy Minister of Creative Economy/Deputy Head of the Creative Economy Agency, Irene Umar, attended the Dicoding Connect 2025 event held at Plataran Senayan, Jakarta. The event, organized by Dicoding Indonesia, aimed to bring together developers, mentors, and technology industry players in an interactive forum.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kemenekraf/Bekraf - Wamenekraf menerangkan pentingnya penguasaan bahasa asing agar Indonesia mampu bersaing di pasar global dalam keynote speechnya di acara Dicoding Connect 2025, Plataran Senayan, Kamis (20/02/25).
Through this event, participants had the opportunity to engage in discussions, share experiences, and build networks with fellow professionals in the technology sector. Dicoding Connect featured talk shows, workshops, and networking sessions designed to broaden knowledge and open up collaboration opportunities in the digital industry.
Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene emphasized the importance of mastering foreign languages, particularly in the digital world. She highlighted that limited English proficiency remains a challenge for many Indonesians.
"We must learn languages to advance Indonesia. We need to stay relevant to the global community so that Indonesia is not just seen as a market but can also be recognized as a creator," said Irene.
Furthermore, Irene elaborated on the Ministry’s initiatives to promote the digital sector, including the "Emak-Emak Matic" (Tech-Savvy Moms) program. This initiative aims to reach all segments of society, particularly housewives and individuals without access to higher education. Since its launch last year, the program has been implemented in six cities and is targeted to expand to 40 cities by 2025.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kemenekraf/Bekraf
"This program is designed to reach communities that are unable to pursue university education while also empowering mothers at home. Leveraging the strength of these women, the program will continue to expand and reach more cities in 2025," she added.
Irene also highlighted the success of the ‘Global Game Jam’ event held last January. During the 48-hour event, developers created game prototypes, which were activated in 12 cities across Indonesia. These prototypes will later be developed and adapted for public spaces, enriching local gaming corners.
Meanwhile, Dicoding CEO Narenda Wicaksono addressed two major challenges facing Indonesia’s digital industry. First, Indonesia’s vast geography requires a widespread distribution of digital talent across various regions. Second, the contribution of the IT sector to Indonesia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) remains lower compared to developed countries.
Dok. Biro Komunikasi Kemenekraf/Bekraf
"The two main challenges are the geographical spread requiring digital talent in various areas and the low contribution of AI to Indonesia’s GDP compared to developed nations. We must strive to improve these areas to ensure Indonesia’s competitiveness on the global stage," Narenda stated.
He noted that the contribution of the information technology (IT) sector to Indonesia's GDP currently stands at 4.34 percent, according to 2024 data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS). In comparison, developed countries such as the United States and China see IT contributing around 8-10 percent to their GDP.
"We need to enhance digitalization, both in terms of the quantity and quality of digital talent. Dicoding will continue collaborating with various ministries, including the Ministry of Creative Economy, to accelerate the growth of Indonesia’s digital industry," he added.
Also present at the event were Dessy Ruhati, Secretary of the Ministry/Principal Secretary, and Muhammad Neil El Himam, Deputy for Digital Creativity and Technology.
Kiagoos Irvan Faisal
Acting Head of the Communications Bureau
Ministry of Creative Economy/Creative Economy Agency
