Jakarta. Indonesia continues to try to attract investors to its special economic zones (SEZs) and national strategic projects in a bid to grow the national economy.

SEZs are areas that the government wishes to turn into new centers of economic growth. Any businesses in these SEZs are eligible for a suite of incentives. As of Q3-2024, investments in Indonesia’s SEZs have cumulatively topped Rp 242.5 trillion ($15.2 billion) and have generated jobs for 151,260 people. About 394 companies have invested in these SEZs. The total investments coming to Indonesia’s SEZs so far this year as of September reached Rp 68.43 trillion, and has created jobs for 34,169 people, the government reported.

The Prabowo Subianto government recently held a meeting on SEZs and Indonesia’s strategic national projects at the Presidential Palace. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Chief Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said that Prabowo had instructed the ministers to continue attracting investments into the SEZs. Prabowo also told his ministers to follow up on the investment deals that he had brought home from his recent first-ever foreign trip. 

“Mr. Prabowo also wants us to speed up the strategic national projects. We are planning to have 18 projects completed this year, and 30 other projects next year,” Airlangga said.

The 18 aforementioned projects set to be finished this year include dams, tollways, and other infrastructure projects. Prabowo also wants to see progress in his plans to create a giant sea wall that extends from Jakarta to Gresik, East Java. The giant sea wall project will also use a public-private partnership scheme, according to Airlangga. 

Airlangga also revealed that the meeting with Prabowo also touched on food and energy security.