JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo (pic) is scheduled to visit Abu Dhabi next week to advance discussions on potential investments in Nusantara with prominent Emirati businessman Mohamed Alabbar.
Mohamed is the founder and chairman of Emaar Properties PJCS, a leading developer in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), known for projects, including the world’s tallest skyscraper, Burj Khalifa.
Acting head of the Capital City Authority, Basuki Hadimuljono, stated that the visit aims to follow up on Mohamed’s interest in developing a financial centre similar to Jakarta’s Sudirman Central Business District in the new capital city.
"We await further developments on whether this visit will solidify investment commitments or solely discuss continuation of interest,” he said, as reported by online news, Bisnis.com.
During a recent groundbreaking ceremony in Nusantara, the Indonesian president, widely known as Jokowi, hinted at substantial future investments from the Emirati real estate tycoon.
Mohamed, who visited Nusantara on May 26 with Indonesia’s State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, had expressed a strong interest in the energy, transportation and property sectors.
Meanwhile, Jokowi has postponed relocating his office to Nusantara this month due to infrastructure readiness concerns, particularly delays in water supply.
He will not rush to issue a Presidential Decree on relocating the capital to Nusantara from Jakarta, as the infrastructure in the new capital is not yet fully completed.
Previously, Jokowi was expected to start operating from Nusantara, East Kalimantan, in July, just a month before Indonesia’s 79th Independence Day celebrations. - Bernama
