President Jokowi Launches the Largest Green Industrial Area in the World

TheIndonesia.id - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) expects the green industrial area which is under development in North Kalimantan (Kaltara) to be the largest in the world, as its target area is 30,000 hectares or 115.83 square miles.

"We hope to become the largest green industrial area in the world. Not North Kalimantan, not Indonesia but the world, because so far it involves 16,400 hectares of land and the target is 30,000 hectares," said President Jokowi during the groundbreaking of the Indonesian Green Industrial Zone, Bulungan, North Kalimantan, Tuesday, December 21, 2021, as shown on the Presidential Secretariat Youtube.

President Jokowi said that the green industrial complex will produce green products from this industrial area. This project also involves investors from China and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to Indonesian investors.

"Everything will emerge from this North Kalimantan. This is a great collaboration between Indonesia, Indonesian investors, investors from China, from the United Arab Emirates, all of them will join," said President Jokowi.

This green industrial area will use the latest technology. Some products include sodium ion, lithium-ion, semi-conductor, and petrochemical which can produce textile derivative products.

"Green aluminum, solar panels, industrial silicon will emerge from here," President Jokowi added.

The construction works of this green industrial area, President said, will open 100 thousand job opportunities. President estimates that there will be a total of 200 thousand new jobs from this green industrial area.

"During the construction period, approximately 100 thousand workers will be needed during operation. Only here. Not to mention the derivatives of the resulting products which are 60 thousand. My estimate is more than 200 thousand plus 'children and grandchildren' derivatives products," said President Jokowi.

This green industrial area development said President Jokowi, also marks the transformation of Indonesia's economy. This transformation changed the structure of the Indonesian economy, which for years had relied on raw materials exports, into a downstream industry so that the commodities exported were semi-finished or finished goods.

Also present at the groundbreaking ceremony were Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, Minister of Investment Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Minister of Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Chairman of the Indonesian Consortium Garibaldi Thohir, and other relevant officials.