“Jakarta cannot be developed only from within. We need contributions from our talents overseas, from diaspora members who have access to new knowledge, networks, and technologies,” he noted in a press release received in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Anung made the statement during an event titled "Synergy for Jakarta" at the Consulate General of Indonesia in New York on Tuesday (July 15).
The governor emphasized that collaboration is essential for Jakarta to evolve into a more modern, inclusive, and resilient city, capable of seizing opportunities and addressing challenges ahead.
At the event, he also directly responded to a presentation by Indonesian students involved in a team tasked with advancing the sister city cooperation between Jakarta and New York.
Anung praised the spirit and intellectual contributions of Indonesian youths in the US, particularly regarding Jakarta’s paradiplomacy efforts to transform the Indonesian capital into a sustainable global city.
A representative from an Indonesian Muslim community -- serving as the imam of a local mosque -- highlighted the importance of strengthening spiritual and cultural ties between the Jakarta government and diaspora members.
The discussion also touched on the crucial role of the Indonesia Investment Promotion Center (IIPC) in New York in bridging economic ties between Indonesia and the US.
Pramono affirmed that his administration fully supports the IIPC in promoting Jakarta’s investment appeal to US business actors.
Meanwhile, a representative from the Student Association in the US (PERMIAS) encouraged the Jakarta government to facilitate more educational, research, and technological projects involving Indonesian talents and scholars abroad and domestic institutions.
The governor’s visit to the consulate is part of the Jakarta provincial government’s urban diplomacy agenda aimed at elevating Jakarta’s position on the global stage.
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Translator: Lifia M, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Primayanti
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