Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Giant Sea Wall project is not only designed to protect Java’s northern coastline from flooding and coastal erosion, but also to safeguard Indonesia’s key economic zones, an official said.

Speaking in Jakarta on Monday, Minister of National Development Planning and Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Rachmat Pambudy explained that 56 percent of Indonesia’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) originates from the island of Java, with 70 percent of that concentrated along its northern coast.

“Of our total GDP, 26 percent is generated in the Jakarta metropolitan area and its surroundings, and 18 percent comes from Jakarta alone. Protecting the infrastructure of Jakarta’s northern coastal region means protecting the backbone of Indonesia’s economy,” he said.

According to Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the national GDP at current prices reached 5.95 quadrillion rupiahs (roughly equivalent to 362 billion US dollars) in the second quarter of 2025.

Rachmat noted that the Giant Sea Wall project could serve as a blueprint for future regional development, particularly in urban coastal areas.

He highlighted Indonesia’s unique geography—with over 17,000 islands and an extensive coastline—as a factor requiring tailored development policies.

“With seas that both separate and connect our islands, we must build new cities and develop our own agglomeration models,” he explained.

This approach, he said, is essential to ensure that development policies are sustainable and responsive to the distinct characteristics of each region.

“We must ensure that the national urban policy strategy toward 2045 reflects an Indonesian model of sustainable urban development,” Rachmat stated.

He called on all stakeholders to collaborate in realizing the vision of the 2045 National Urban Policy.

“This is our moment of refinement and affirmation—we must build our cities based on our own model. No other country shares Indonesia’s unique characteristics,” Rachmat concluded.


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