Prabowo at EEF: Development Must Be Felt by Ordinary Families
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has asserted that development must not only benefit a small group of people but must be measured by the benefits felt by ordinary families, including through the fulfilment of nutrition and food security.
This was stated by Prabowo during his speech as the guest of honour at the 11th Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Russia, on Thursday, as monitored via a live YouTube broadcast from the Presidential Secretariat.
“Development must not only benefit a few people. Development must be measured at the dining tables of ordinary families: are children receiving nutritious food? Can farmers obtain fertiliser and sell their produce at a fair price?” said Prabembowo.
“Can families live in decent houses? Can young people secure productive employment? And can electricity reach every home in every village?” he continued.
According to the President, this principle serves as one of the foundations for implementing the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme, as well as the government’s efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency and energy security.
The government, he noted, is also accelerating industrial downstreaming so that natural resources can foster industry, enhance skills, and create domestic employment.
Prabowo stated that these various policies are not merely aimed at chasing economic growth figures, but at ensuring that growth provides benefits to the community.
“This is why we are striving for faster economic growth—not growth for the sake of growth alone, but growth that can lift millions of people out of poverty towards dignity,” he said.
In his speech, Prabowo also identified opportunities to increase Indonesia-Russia cooperation in the field of food security.
“In the field of food security, we see opportunities in cooperating with Russia on agricultural technology, superior seeds, livestock breeding, agricultural mechanisation, food processing, and the joint production of fertiliser,” he said.
The President noted that Indonesia and Russia possess complementary economic strengths.
Russia, according to him, possesses wheat, fertiliser, energy, as well as advanced science and engineering capabilities, while Indonesia possesses various agricultural and plantation commodities, including palm oil, fisheries, coffee, and rubber.
“The strength of one party can address the needs of the other. This is the foundation of fair and sustainable trade,” he said.
Prabowo stated that the value of Indonesia-Russia bilateral trade in 2025 is approaching five billion US dollars, representing an increase of 21.7 per cent compared to 2024 and 33.7 per cent compared to 2023.
According to the President, this achievement demonstrates that there is still significant room to expand economic cooperation between the two nations.
“This achievement is merely the beginning, not the maximum limit,” said Prabowo.