Inter-Governmental Group on Indonesia

Last updated
Ministers Ali Wardhana (Indonesia), Eegje Schoo (Netherlands), and Widjojo Nitisastro (Indonesia) at an IGGI meeting in The Hague in June 1983. Minister Schoo (Ontwikkelingssamenwerking) in gesprek met de delegatieleider van, Bestanddeelnr 932-6190.jpg
Ministers Ali Wardhana (Indonesia), Eegje Schoo (Netherlands), and Widjojo Nitisastro (Indonesia) at an IGGI meeting in The Hague in June 1983.

The Inter-Governmental Group on Indonesia (IGGI) was established in 1967 as an international consortium of official donors to coordinate the provision of foreign assistance to Indonesia. [1] IGGI was the lead official grouping of donors to Indonesia from 1967 until early 1992 when it was abolished and replaced by the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI). For the 25 years up to 1992, IGGI was a key regional institution in Southeast Asia. It helped provide strong international support for Indonesia's economic recovery after the economic difficulties in Indonesia during the period of the Sukarno presidency in 1950s and 1960s.

Contents

Establishment of IGGI

IGGI 1967 (Amsterdam) Opening Intergouvernemente conferentie over Indonesie in Amstelhotel, overzichte, Bestanddeelnr 920-1035.jpg
IGGI 1967 (Amsterdam)

The establishment of IGGI followed the convening of several international meetings in late 1966 and early 1967 between creditor countries and Indonesia. At the time, Indonesia had large international debts outstanding. It was recognised by the international community that a rescheduling of debt payments would be needed as part of an agreed program to overcome Indonesia's serious economic problems. The Group was established by consensus, without legal agreements, between creditor countries and Indonesia. Radius Prawiro, one of Indonesia's most well-known policy makers in Indonesia during the 1970s and 1980s, observed that

"One of the organization's greatest strengths was its relative informality. The IGGI had no official charter. It was not established through any binding legal agreements. It had no permanent secretariat or any of the institutional trappings to confer upon it the status of an 'official organization'. ... It was an international body that imposed nothing on its members. The purpose of the IGGI was simply to serve as a forum to facilitate coordinated action among its members and the exchange of views." [2]

Members of IGGI when it was first established, in addition to Indonesia, included Australia, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Observers included Austria, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the Indonesia and the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Prawiro has described IGGI, during the period that it existed, as " ... perhaps the world's most effective organization in bilateral and multilateral economic relations." [3]

Activities of IGGI

Throughout the next several decades, until the Group was replaced by the CGI in 1992, IGGI met twice a year. Meetings were usually held late each year to discuss Indonesia's foreign aid requirements for the coming fiscal year (which, at that time, started in April), and then in April the next year to consider actual aid commitments and plans for further assistance. [4] The international aid program quickly expanded so that by the early 1970s, the IGGI consortium was collectively allocating more than $600 million per year to Indonesia.

IGGI aid commitments: major donors (1967-1972)
(US $ million) (a)
DonorCum. Total
1967-1969/70
Fisc. Year
1970/71
Fisc. Year
1971/72
United States412.4218.1235.8
Japan265.9140.0155.0
Netherlands84.534.636.6
Germany82.035.541.1
Australia37.219.020.0
France30.215.314.5
United Kingdom11.810.323.3
Other countries10.612.413.2
SUB TOTAL934.6458.2539.5
As Dev Bank (b)13.49.625.0
World Bank (c)96.074.980.0
TOTAL1,044.0569.7644.5

(a) Some commitments were for loans while others were for grants.
(b) Asian Development Bank concessional loans.
(c) World Bank (IDA) concessional loans.
Source: USAID Indonesia. Indonesia and U.S. Assistance. mimeo. September 1972.

During the next several decades, the total assistance flow to Indonesia (which was a combination of loans and grants) was estimated to amount to over $50 billion, initially mainly provided by bilateral donors but increasingly by multilateral agencies (especially the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank). Later, during the 1990s, the flow of assistance continued within the coordination arrangements agreed to under the Consultative Group on Indonesia in 1992.

IGGI / CGI Pledges (1967/68 - 2003)
(US $ million) (a)
Plans (b)PeriodBilateralMultilateral (c)Total
1967/68-1968/695238531
I1969/70-1973/742,8706373,507
II1974/75-1978/793,0623,4826,544
III1979/80-1983/843,9626,42010,381
IV1984/85-1988/895,7988,80414,602
V1989/90-1993/9410,04213,58623,628
VI1994/95-1998/9912,24516,77029,015
2000-20038,82414,04622,870
TOTAL47,32763,752111,078

(a) Some commitments were for loans while others were for grants.
(b) Refers to the six five-year economic plans covered between 1969/70 and 1998/99 known as Rencana Pembangunan Lima Tahun I (or Repelita I), Rencana Pembangunan Lima Tahun II (or Repelita II), and so on.
(c) Mainly World Bank and Asian Development Bank loans.
Source: Bappenas (Indonesian National Planning Agency), Directorate of Bilateral Foreign Financing. 2003. Cited in INFID (International NGO Forum on Indonesian Development). Profiles of Indonesia's Foreign Debts. August 2007. Working Paper.

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian Development Bank</span> Regional development bank

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966, which is headquartered in 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila 1550, Philippines. The bank also maintains 31 field offices around the world to promote social and economic development in Asia. The bank admits the members of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and non-regional developed countries. Starting with 31 members at its establishment, ADB now has 68 members.

Official development assistance (ODA) is a category used by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to measure foreign aid. The DAC first adopted the concept in 1969. It is widely used as an indicator of international aid flow. It refers to material resources given by the governments of richer countries to promote the economic development of poorer countries and the welfare of their people. The donor government agency may disburse such resources to the government of the recipient country or through other organizations. Most ODA is in the form of grants, but some is measured as the concessional value in soft (low-interest) loans.

In political economy and international relations, conditionality is the use of conditions attached to the provision of benefits such as a loan, debt relief or bilateral aid. These conditions are typically imposed by international financial institutions or regional organizations and are intended to improve economic conditions within the recipient country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aid</span> Voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another

In international relations, aid is – from the perspective of governments – a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another. The type of aid given may be classified according to various factors, including its intended purpose, the terms or conditions under which it is given, its source, and its level of urgency. For example, aid may be classified based on urgency into emergency aid and development aid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Order (Indonesia)</span> 1966–1998 period of rule by Suharto

The New Order describes the regime of the second Indonesian President Suharto from his rise to power in 1966 until his resignation in 1998. Suharto coined the term upon his accession and used it to contrast his presidency with that of his predecessor Sukarno.

Japan emerged as one of the largest foreign aid donors in the world during the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radius Prawiro</span> Indonesian economist and politician

Radius Prawiro was an Indonesian economist and politician.

Historically, Venezuela has been categorized as one of the most successful countries in Latin America specifically during its democratic period between 1958 and 1999. As the wealthiest country in this region and an OPEC member, Venezuela has been more frequently a donor than a recipient of foreign assistance. Its economic dependency on oil resources was the main reason why this reputation reached the international public sphere. The effectiveness of oil revenues has had a huge impact on public expenditure and, as a result, a double-sword mechanism for the government to choose between an effective role for this institution towards a welfare state and clientelism.

US$43 billion in International Monetary Fund (IMF) aid in 2003 was sent as foreign aid to Indonesia, and this assistance has traditionally been an important part of the central government's budget. From 1967 to 1991, most aid was coordinated through the Inter-Governmental Group on Indonesia (IGGI) founded and chaired by the Netherlands; since 1992, without the Netherlands, the organization has been known as the Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI). Although Indonesia terminated its IMF aid program in December 2003, it still receives bilateral aid through the CGI, which pledged US$2.8 billion in grants and loans for 2004. Japan and the Asian Development Bank also have been key donors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign aid to Vietnam</span> Overview of aid

The World Bank’s assistance program of foreign aid to Vietnam has three objectives: to support Vietnam's transition to a market economy, to enhance equitable and sustainable development, and to promote good governance. From 1993 through 2004, Vietnam received pledges of US$29 billion of Official Development Assistance (ODA), of which about US$14 billion, or 49 percent, has been disbursed. In 2004 international donors pledged ODA of US$2.25 billion, of which US$1.65 billion was disbursed. Three donors accounted for 80 percent of disbursements in 2004: Japan, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank. During the period 2006–10, Vietnam hopes to receive US$14 billion–US$15 billion of ODA.

Nepal relies heavily on foreign aid, and donors coordinate development aid policy through the Nepal Development Forum, whose members include donor countries, international financial institutions, and inter-governmental organizations. Japan is Nepal's largest bilateral aid donor, and the World Bank and Asian Development Bank are the largest multilateral donors. Donors have been reported as losing confidence in Nepal as a result of political interference and corruption in poverty relief efforts as well as the country's apparently poor capacity to utilize aid. According to World Bank figures, official development assistance increased from US$8.2 million in 1960 to US$369 million in 2003 and then fell to US$177 million in 2004. According to Nepal's Ministry of Finance, total foreign aid committed in fiscal year (FY) 2003 was US$555 million, with 63.3 percent in grants and 36.7 percent in loans. In FY2004, total foreign aid committed was US$320 million, of which 37.7 percent was grants and 62.3 percent, loans. In June 2004, active World Bank credits totaled US$302 million, with the greatest portions allocated to the financial sector and to energy and mining. By the end of 2012, the outstanding World Bank IDA loan totaled $ 1.48 billionArchived 2015-05-05 at the Wayback Machine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Development Assistance Committee</span> OECD committee

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) is a forum to discuss issues surrounding aid, development and poverty reduction in developing countries. It describes itself as being the "venue and voice" of the world's major donor countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fifth Development Cabinet</span>

The Fifth Development Cabinet was the Indonesian cabinet which served under President Suharto and Vice President Sudharmono from March 1988 until March 1993. The cabinet was formed after Suharto was elected to a 5th term as president by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fourth Development Cabinet</span>

The Fourth Development Cabinet was the Indonesian cabinet which served under President Suharto and Vice President Umar Wirahadikusumah from March 1983 until March 1988. The cabinet was formed after Suharto was elected to a 4th term as President by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR).

The Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) gathered Indonesia's international donors from 1992 to 2007 to coordinate the flow of foreign aid to Indonesia. It was set up by the Indonesian government and the World Bank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Widjojo Nitisastro</span> Indonesian economist

Widjojo Nitisastro was an Indonesian economist, who was known as the main architect of the Indonesian economy during the New Order regime of President Suharto, serving as Minister for National Development (1971–1983) and Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry (1973–1983). He was one of Indonesia's best-known and most respected economic policy-makers, both within Indonesia and overseas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indonesia–European Union relations</span> Bilateral relations

Diplomatic relations between European countries and Indonesia date back to 1949. Initially, European Union (EU)–Indonesia relations were facilitated through the EU–Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) cooperation. Bilateral cooperation was continuously expanded and eventually the EU Delegation to Indonesia was opened in 1988. Economic and political dialogue between Indonesia and the EU takes the form of regular Senior Officials Meetings. In 2000 relations were further reinforced with the release of the European Commission's communication "Developing Closer Relations between Indonesia and the EU". In November 2013, the EU's high representative for foreign and security policy Catherine Ashton made her first official visit to Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. B. Sumarlin</span> Indonesian politician (1932–2020)

Johannes Baptista Sumarlin was an Indonesian economist who served as Minister of Finance. Sometimes linked with the so-called Berkeley Mafia group of economic advisers which included senior Indonesian economists such as Widjojo Nitisastro, Emil Salim, and Ali Wardhana, Sumarlin held various important economics posts in the Indonesian government for many years until the late 1990s. He graduated from the Faculty of Economics, University of Indonesia (FEUI) in 1958. Positions held in government included, among others, Chairman of the Supreme Audit Agency, Minister of Finance, Chairman of the National Planning Agency (Bappenas), and Minister for Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform.

Chinese foreign aid may be considered as both governmental (official) and private development aid and humanitarian aid originating from the People's Republic of China (PRC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ministry of National Development Planning</span> Indonesian ministry

The Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency is a ministry of the Republic of Indonesia that has the task to oversee government affairs in the field of national development planning to assist the President in organizing state government. The minister is responsible to the President. The Ministry of National Development Planning uses organizational units and resources within the National Development Planning Agency.

References

  1. The formation of IGGI is discussed in Peter McCawley. 2020. Indonesia and the Asian Development Bank: Fifty Years of Partnership. Manila: Asian Development Bank. p. 23
  2. Radius Prawiro. 1998. Indonesia's Struggle for Economic Development: Pragmatism in Action, Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, p.64.
  3. Op. cit., p. 67.
  4. G.A. Posthumus. 1971. The Inter-Governmental Group on Indonesia (IGGI), Rotterdam: Rotterdam University Press, and G.A. Posthumus. 1972. "The Inter-Governmental Group on Indonesia", Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies, VIII (2), July, pp. 55-66.