Heaptalk, Jakarta — On Monday (03/10), the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Bappenas office regarding the development of three cities in Indonesia.
According to Teni Widuriyanti, the Principal Secretary of Bappenas, the three cities in focus are the new capital city, Nusantara Capital (IKN), in East Kalimantan Province, as well as the cities of Samarinda and Balikpapan. “The development plans to be advanced through this collaboration will include urban area planning and the creation of a dynamic ecosystem among the three cities, aiming to establish them as world-class cities. Additionally, this initiative seeks to promote sustainable economic growth and transformation,” said Teni.
Teni hoped this development plan would contribute to sustainable growth, economic transformation, and improved quality of life. She added, “This will benefit the new capital and its surrounding cities and serve as a model and blueprint for urban transformation across Indonesia.”
On the same occasion, Takeda Sachiko, a representative from the JICA Indonesia Office, highlighted that JICA’s previous cooperation for Nusantara Capital aimed to leverage Japan’s knowledge and experience in urban development. As the development of the new capital progresses, the Indonesian government has emphasized the importance of broad collaboration among the three cities under the Three-City Development framework.
This approach aims to complement the development of the new capital with Balikpapan, the economic hub of East Kalimantan Province located near the new capital, and Samarinda, the provincial capital of East Kalimantan. “To complement the urban functions of the new capital, it is essential for Nusantara Capital, along with the two surrounding cities, to collaborate effectively from the planning stage through to implementation, adopting a Three-City Development perspective,” said Takeda.
Takeda noted that this collaboration in urban development would contribute to achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and Goal 13 (Climate Action).
