The Indonesian G20 chairmanship intends to focus the G20 participants' attention on energy security against the background of rising energy prices, The Jakarta Post reported on Thursday.
"Indonesia has previously stated energy transition as the main topic of the G20 presidency, but in the current environment we must also discuss energy security, which cannot be achieved in the short term," the paper quoted Jakarta's representative to the G20, Indonesia's Deputy Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Edi Prio Pambudi, as saying.
He also noted that "the rise in energy prices is not due to their absence, but the inability to sell them due to the sanctions imposed on Russia". At the same time, the official believes that even if Russia's special military operation in Ukraine is stopped, the sanctions "will not necessarily be lifted".
"Some G20 member countries are considering reallocating a large part of their [energy] budgets to energy subsidies because of the conflict in Ukraine," the official said. According to him, "an Indonesian delegation led by Minister Coordinator [for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto] recently visited Germany and Switzerland," where there is already "local concern about the possible cessation of gas supplies." "And if we assume that the industry collapses, there will be riots, although this is already happening now in Europe," the deputy minister said.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS