"We will use all inputs conveyed at the 2023 Sulawesi FIW as consideration in strengthening the provision of infrastructure," Bappenas' Deputy of Facilities and Infrastructure, Ervan Maksum, stated while opening the event here on Thursday.
According to Maksum, FIW is a platform to discuss the existence of infrastructure in supporting the development of flagship commodities in regions.
The FIW participants also got the opportunity to discuss challenges, bottlenecks, and gaps in providing infrastructure in regions. Infrastructure and facilities are important to support development of local commodities.
Meanwhile, the central government has allocated a budget of Rp15 trillion (US$975 million) for the construction of regional roads, with Rp581 billion (US$37 million) of that budget for building regional roads in South Sulawesi, Maksum remarked.
"We must be effective because the funds in the state budget are limited. We must adjust to creative financing," he stated.
Based on the regional autonomy policy, he explained that development must start from local governments but it was studied that the district government's and the provincial government's ability to construct roads reached only 60 percent and 70 percent, respectively, while the standard is 72 percent.
Regional infrastructure development also aligns with the priorities in the 2023 Government Work Plan that include strengthening infrastructure to support basic economic development.
In addition, Maksum said, infrastructure development in regions is part of the national infrastructure development goals.
Bappenas' Director of Planning and Development of National Priority Infrastructure Projects (P3IPN), Sumedi Andono Mulyo, stated that the Sulawesi FIW is the fourth edition of FIW.
The event was earlier held in Medan, Lombok, and Ambon, and after Makassar, the event will be held in Kalimantan.
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Translator: Wardyah, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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