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West Sulawesi Investment Forum 2024: Strengthen West Sulawesi-East Kalimantan Cooperation

The West Sulawesi Province Investment and One-Stop Integrated Service Office (DPMPTSP) held the 2024 West Sulawesi Investment Forum 2024 at Le Grande Ballroom Grand Jatra Hotel in Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan Province on Sep. 6, 2024. The activity aims to strengthen cooperation between West Sumatra as a supporting region for the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) with East Kalimantan as the IKN's main supporting region.

With "Sulbar Grows with IKN" and "Sulbar Malaqbi, Advanced, and Sustainable in an Inclusive Green and Blue Economic Ecosystem" as its themes, the West Sulawesi Investment Forum is expected to increase synergy between the two provinces in the fields of economy, trade, and tourism.

West Sulawesi is a province has enormous economic potential. The province is inhabited by nearly 1.54 million people and is known for its abundant natural resources and ecosystem diversity, including the agriculture, fisheries, marine, mining, and tourism sectors. These potential investment targets have not been optimally developed, so sustainable management is needed to increase the province economic growth and community welfare.

The West Sulawesi economy grew by 4.3 percent year-on-year (yoy) in the second quarter (Q2) of 2024, driven by the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors. Realized investment province also showed significant improvement, soaring by 56.95 percent quarter-to-quarter (qtq) to Rp644.14 billion in Q2 2024. The investments are largely dominated by ones directed to the agriculture, fisheries, mining, hospitality, and trade sectors.

This forum was attended by several important figures, including West Sulawesi Acting Governor Bahtiar Baharuddin, Investment Ministry/Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Equity and Partnership Expert Staff Andi Maulana, IKN Authority Funding and Investment Deputy Agung Wicaksono, East Kalimantan Acting Governor Akmal Malik, West Sulawesi Province Regional Legislative Council (DPRD) Speaker Siti Suraidah Suhardi, other members of the West Sulawesi Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), and West Sulawesi Province Regional Secretary Muhammad Idris.

In his speech, Bahtiar stated that West Sulawesi Investment Forum 2024 is an important initiative to encourage collaboration between West Sulawesi and East Kalimantan.

"Through this forum, we hope to expand the investment network and increase synergy between the two provinces. With the economic potential that we have, we are confident that West Sulawesi can play a role as a strategic partner in supporting the development of the IKN, as well as achieving inclusive and sustainable growth," said Bahtiar.

Meanwhile, West Sulawesi DPMPTSP Head Habibi Azis said that West Sulawesi Investment Forum 2024 is a very important platform to introduce the investment potential of West Sulawesi and promote its leading projects.

"We hope to attract the attention of investors and accelerate the realization of investment in sectors that have great potential through this forum, such as cocoa bean processing in Polman Regency and tourism development on Karampuang Island, Mamuju Regency. We believe that West Sulawesi will be more advanced and prosperous with solid support and cooperation," he said.

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