Indonesia reforms, Vietnam leadership transition

The near-term outlook for Indonesia’s economy is poor. A failure to contain the coronavirus means that the economic recovery is likely to be slow and fitful. But long-term economic prospects received a boost this week with the publication of a draft presidential decree outlining plans to open key sectors of the economy, including communications, energy and tourism, to foreign investors. Elsewhere, the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) will unveil a new leadership team at its five-yearly Congress, which begins on Monday. One of the new leader’s priorities will be mending ties with the US.