COVID-19 Impact on SDGs and the Fiscal Measures: Case of Indonesia

Abstract

The implications of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have stretched far beyond human health and wellbeing, causing serious setbacks for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Although governments worldwide have implemented different fiscal stimulus measures to mitigate the implications of COVID-19, it is important to develop a precise understanding of their focus areas to ensure if the progress of SDGs is on track. For a specific case of Indonesia, this study establishes a thorough understanding of the COVID-19 implications on SDGs, and its fiscal stimulus package through a literature review and semi-formal interviews with the core stakeholders in Indonesia. The study results highlighted that COVID-19 has varyingly affected the progress of all SDGs in Indonesia. Amongst the four pillars of sustainable development in Indonesia, the SDGs on the social and economic development pillars are stated to be the most impacted. As for the fiscal stimulus, it is perceived that it can help maintain the SDGs’ attainment progress to a certain extent, although there are several concerns on its implementation. Deriving lessons from the conducted research, the study puts forward key suggestions for the effective implementation of SDGs in the post-COVID-19 era.

Sustainable Development Goals in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Review

“…Although in recent years the data collected on the progress of poverty and its eradication seemed to indicate that the levels of extreme poverty were being significantly reduced, the appearance of the pandemic and the tendency not to end the risk of contagion and with it, the increase in deaths, is threatening a setback in the progress achieved [34,35]. Countries in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are seeing COVID-19 as having serious consequences for their development as countries [36].…”

Travel-Business Stagnation and SME Business Turbulence in the Tourism Sector in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Increasing business productivity in the tourism sector will require support for strengthening the capacity and quality of human resources in the framework of accelerating economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. The strategic steps needed to support business productivity in the tourism sector include: (1) ensuring that human resources have labor, capital and technology to maximize their utilization; (2) evaluating the business processes currently being carried out by travel agents and SMEs; (3) developing and building a business road map through clearer workflows and simplifying communication channels; (4) empowering the workforce for quick and appropriate decision making; (5) developing the potential of the workforce towards the mastery of expertise and skills-based technology; (6) improving the quality of work and encouraging the transfer of effective work practices and a harmonious working atmosphere; and (7) building business networks through mutually beneficial business collaborations and applying technological innova-tions to run a start-up-based core business towards the creation of a creative and sustainable tourism industry. These seven aspects will not only accelerate economic-business recovery and increase income but will also stimulate new business development and employment.…”

“…This means that less stable economic growth will not only have an impact on increasing development financing but will also affect the strategic-business sector that has been supporting economic growth so far. The implications of COVID-19 on the SDG contribute to fiscal policy, the deregulation of financial markets, strategic-business sectors, tourism businesses, and their impact on economic growth [5][6][7]. Thus, the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to affecting economic stability, also has an impact on increasing unemployment, poverty, crime, and the stability of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).…”

Antimicrobial Resistance as a Global Health Threat: The Need to Learn Lessons from the COVID‐19 Pandemic

“…As noted earlier, the pandemic has derailed the achievement of the United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs) for 2030, and threatens to reverse years of progress made towards achieving these (Safitri et al, 2021 ; United Nations, 2020 ). Disruptions to health services and health infrastructure brought on by COVID‐19 limit the approaches that can be adopted to realise the SDGs, many of which are related to the mitigation of AMR.…”