Bekasi, West Java (ANTARA) - West Java's Bekasi District Authority has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the sister city program with the South Korean authority to reduce unemployment rate in the district.

Bekasi District Acting Head Dani Ramdan said that the cooperation is realized through encouragement and initiatives by the district's Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) as the institution providing inputs on the manpower sector to the authority.

"I see cooperation potentials that can be developed through the sister city scheme, particularly on the seasonal workers' aspect," Ramdan stated in Cikarang here Thursday.

The acting head commended the district's Kadin for proposing the program to the district authority, as the sister city scheme substantially aims to develop friendship and mutual understanding between cities in countries with different cultures and demographic conditions.

"We need to shift this spirit to realize cooperation that would be more concrete and mutually beneficial," he stated.

Home Affairs Minister Circular No. 193/1652/PUOD regulating cooperation with other entities dated April 26, 1993, is the legal basis for the establishment of the sister city cooperation, Ramdan noted.

The acting district head said he had experience conceiving the sister city cooperation agreement, as he earlier helped Purwarkarta District to draft the MoU on sister city cooperation.

"When I (helped) Purwakarta District, I made the MoU draft and prepared the document files required for the sister city cooperation," he stated.

Meanwhile, Bekasi District Kadin Head Heri Noviar said that the cooperation is projected to bolster development in strategic sectors.

He said that the sister city agreement bounds two cities in different countries in cooperation, which can start from the cultural sector, before growing to other sectors.

"This could also create cultural connectivity and social contacts between (the city's) population, which could be developed into other forms of cooperation," Noviar remarked.

Related news: Minister highlights bilateral history between Indonesia, Portugal
Related news: Baswedan's Europe visit aims exploring cooperation on MRT development

Translator: Pradita KS, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023