Palu. The United Arab Emirates is exploring investment opportunities in Palu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Central Sulawesi, as Indonesia seeks to position the area as one of the country's emerging growth hubs.

The interest was highlighted by a visit on Monday by UAE Ambassador to Indonesia Abdulla Salem Aldhaheri, who toured the industrial zone and met local officials to learn about its investment potential.

Aldhaheri said he had gained a clearer understanding of Palu's strategic advantages, including its central location within Indonesia and its proximity to the country's future capital, Nusantara. He also described the city as having strong potential to become a national logistics and distribution hub.

Another key attraction is Pantoloan Port, which has a natural depth of about 18 meters, allowing large vessels to berth with minimal dredging. The port is expected to support investment in industrial, logistics, and trade-related activities.

The ambassador was welcomed by Palu Mayor Hadianto Rasyid and executives of the Palu SEZ, who outlined investment opportunities available in the zone.

The discussions remain at an exploratory stage, with the visit intended to gather information for potential UAE investors considering projects in Indonesia.

"During the visit, the ambassador asked for a comprehensive overview of Palu SEZ's strategic advantages so the area could be considered as a potential investment destination," Hadianto told reporters on Tuesday.

The mayor said the ambassador also met with an investor that has already begun early-stage development in the zone.

According to Hadianto, the investor explained why it had chosen Palu and said construction was progressing as planned, with commercial operations expected to begin in about two years.

He said one of the SEZ's main attractions is its strategic position along shipping routes linking Asia -- including China -- with Australia.

"Palu SEZ enjoys a highly strategic location, supported by a deep-water port with efficient access to regional markets and close proximity to industrial raw materials," Hadianto said.

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