Signing of Record of Discussions for the Republic of Indonesia: Project for Formulation of Tri-City Development Plan in the Republic of Indonesia

Jakarta, 04 March 2025, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed the Record of Discussions (R/D) with the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Republic of Indonesia for a Technical Cooperation Project “Project for Formulation of Tri-City Development Plan in the Republic of Indonesia”.

In the ceremony, Ms. Teni Widuriyanti, Executive Secretary of BAPPENAS and Ms. Sachiko Takeda, Chief Representative of JICA Indonesia Office signed the R/D, witnessed by Mr. Medrilzam, Deputy for Regional Development and others of BAPPENAS in person as well as online participants from Nusantara National Capital Authority, East Kalimantan Province, Samarinda City, and Balikpapan City. Ms. Teni Widuriyanti emphasized that JICA is a reliable partner and that BAPPENAS and JICA's wide range of cooperative relations are important for the growth and development of Indonesia. The development plan to be developed through this cooperation is not only a city plan, but also a dynamic mutual ecosystem among the three cities of the new capital, Samarinda, and Balikpapan, which aims to become a world-class city, and to promote sustainable growth and economic transformation. She expressed her hope that the development plan will contribute to sustainable growth, economic transformation, and quality of life and that it will not only benefit the new capital and neighboring cities but also serve as a model and blueprint for urban transformation in Indonesia. Ms. Sachiko Takeda introduced JICA's past cooperation for the new capital and emphasized the importance of promoting this cooperation while utilizing Japan's knowledge and experience in urban development.

As the development of the new capital is progressing, the Indonesian government has indicated the importance of wide-area collaboration among the three cities as “Tri-City Development” toward the complementary development of the new capital with Balikpapan, an economic city in East Kalimantan Province located near the new capital, and Samarinda, the capital of East Kalimantan Province. In order to complement the urban functions of the new capital city, it is important that the three cities, including the two surrounding cities on the left, cooperate effectively from the planning stage to the implementation stage from the perspective of “Tri-City Development. In light of this situation, JICA supported BAPPENAS and other related organizations in the preceding basic study of a concept proposal that would serve as the basis for Tri-City Development.

This project mainly targets the three cities of Nusantara (the new capital city), Balikpapan, and Samarinda, and supports the formulation of a Tri-City Development Plan as a regional plan for the three cities, as well as proposing the establishment of an implementation system for the three-city collaboration, thereby contributing to the development of a mutually complementary and sustainable city planning system among the three cities in three aspects: economic, social, and environmental. The cooperation in the field of urban development is intended to promote mutually complementary and sustainable urban development among the three cities in the three aspects of economy, society, and environment. Cooperation in the field of urban development will contribute to SDG Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and Goal 13 (Climate Action).