On the launch of the commission's two major reports, our co-chair and Minister of Finance for Indonesia, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, wrote an op-ed for The Financial Times where she discusses the challenges and opportunities of future technology.

Minister Indrawati stressed the importance of clear-headed analysis and practical policy tools to ensure that all have equal access to the positive impact of technologies and are protected against the potential negatives. 'As a policymaker in an emerging economy, I know that country-level policies set by national governments are critical. However, these technological changes are borderless in nature and revolutionising economic interaction globally. Thus, it is also important to look at multilateral approaches.'

She emphasized that 'the choices we make today could determine whether our countries flourish or fail in the 21st century.' She stated that 'we urgently need to start new discussions, grounded in hard evidence, to empower decision makers in developing countries to capitalise on new technologies and manage disruptions.'

While Minister Indrawati notes the benefits of technology, she also can see that 'technological advancements will further spur economic transformation, but at the same time have the potential to widen inequality.' To work against this 'countries must be "digital-ready". Minister Indrawati stresses that 'this requires investment both in human skills and in the rolling out of digital infrastructure on a scale never seen before.'

If you are a Financial Times subscriber, you can read Minister Indrawati's full op-ed, here.