President Indonesia Prabowo Subianto recently chaired the first meeting of the “Merah Putih” Cabinet at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. During the meeting, Prabowo discussed the establishment of the Poverty Alleviation Acceleration Agency, emphasizing the need to quickly address existing challenges.
Prabowo clarified that the purpose of the agency is not to interfere with the work of ministries but to provide assistance where necessary. He acknowledged the complexities and slow processes within the bureaucracy and highlighted the importance of addressing bottlenecks promptly.
The Poverty Alleviation Acceleration Agency will focus on studying and monitoring social protection programs and aid distribution to ensure they effectively reach the most vulnerable segments of society. Budiman Sudjatmiko has been appointed as the head of the agency, with a mandate from Prabowo to reduce poverty significantly in Indonesia by 2029.
Budiman emphasized the agency’s responsibility to coordinate efforts across various ministries, such as the Ministry of Villages, Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Communication and Information, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Health. This coordinated approach aims to gather accurate data to guide their poverty alleviation initiatives effectively.
