"EIB came here not only with money, the most important thing is its experience in development, technical expertise, knowledge, and support for growth," Indrawati said at the official opening of the EIB Regional Representative Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific in Jakarta on Friday.
According to the minister, the new office will further encourage Indonesia to increase sustainable development.
EIB's decision to open a regional representative office in Jakarta is very fitting and promising because Indonesia and Southeast Asia have shown impressive economic performance even during the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.
The Southeast Asian region, including Indonesia, has been recovering quickly from the crisis and has shown a very high commitment to and is prioritizing infrastructure development, Indrawati said.
"With Indonesia's economic growth reaching 5.2 percent in the first semester, we see this growth continuing to strengthen in the third quarter. So, this region is very promising," she added.
Furthermore, she said that the presence of the EIB regional office in Jakarta will provide great opportunities to collaborate on realizing the commitment on climate action and achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Meanwhile, Indonesia has been working to realize the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) target, which requires more than US$280 billion in funding.
EIB, on its part, is ready to invest €1 billion every year in Indonesia to support and realize the development of green and sustainable projects.
"EIB's focus on financing sustainable development and infrastructure is very much in line with Indonesia's priorities," Indrawati said.
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Translator: Astrid H, Kenzu T
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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