West Nusa Tenggara promotes investment opportunities to UAE

West Nusa Tenggara Governor Lalu Muhamad "Miq" Iqbal promoted investment opportunities for investors from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), ranging from agriculture, animal husbandry, to mining, while  receiving a visit from the Indonesian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Husin Bagis at the West Nusa Tenggara Governor's Office in Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara on Apr. 3, 2025.

"The investment potential is still wide open in the mining sector," said Miq Iqbal.

It was revealed during the meeting that the new gold mine in Dompu Regency still requires additional investment to accelerate the process of exploiting gold in the site that have been explored for the past decade. The gold mine is managed by PT Sumbawa Timur Mining (STM),  a joint venture between Eastern Star Resources Pty Ltd, which owns 80 percent of PT STM's shares, and state-owned enterprise (SOE) PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam), which owns the remaining 20 percent.

Hence, Miq Iqbal hopes for UAE investors to enter West Nusa Tenggara's gold mining industry.

"We are very ready should Dubai and Abu Dhabi want to enter [the industry], because we are just waiting for the [gold mine] exploitation process," he explained.

Another investment opportunity is the smelter in West Sumbawa Regency. The products resulting from the smelter's processes, such as copper and sulfuric acid, could be used for industrial downstreaming - including in the production of cables and fertilizers.

"This smelter facility has been running well, especially with the construction of a power plan to meet it energy needs," explained Miq Iqbal.

He emphasized the importance of integrated ecosystem management so that investments could operate smoothly. Miq Iqbal also wants the provincial government to have shares in investments to the province, even if only a minority stake.

In addition, the provincial government plans to form a region-owned company (BUMD) that specifically manages strategic investments entering West Nusa Tenggara to provide assurance for investors who directed their capital to the province.

"So we take care of social issues and permits. These investors just have to do business safely," said the former Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Husin said that the Indonesian Embassy in the UAE had met with potential investors who were interested in developing a job training center in West Nusa Tenggara. He also conveyed the high demand for health workers in the UAE. especially experienced nurses, from several health care facilities in the country.

"This could be an opportunity for West Nusa Tenggara to prepare nurses who have work experience. While waiting for job placement, they can add to their work experience in hospitals here," said Husin.