Indonesian president highlights economic achievements in his final Independence Day address

In his final Independence Day address before leaving office, Indonesia's President Joko Widodo on Friday highlighted the nation's economic achievements during his tenure.

Speaking at the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly, Widodo, who has been in office since 2014, expressed gratitude for the support of the Indonesian people and emphasized the importance of the collective efforts that have brought the nation to its current progress.

Widodo highlighted economic resilience seen during his tenure benefiting the Southeast Asian country in the face of global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, pointing out that Indonesia's economy has maintained a growth rate of around 5 percent.

He also noted the progress made in reducing poverty and unemployment while praising infrastructure development in the past decade.

Looking ahead, Widodo expressed confidence in Indonesia's future under the leadership of President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who will take office on Oct. 20 this year.