Gibran’s Visit to Cilacap Seen as Strategic for Regional Development

Jakarta – Professor Icuk Rangga Bawono of Jenderal Soedirman University (Unsoed) said Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s working visit to Cilacap regency, Central Java, on Monday (26 October 2026) was strategically important for driving regional economic development.

He said the visit was more than a government engagement: it also created opportunities for collaboration between the local government, ministries, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), investors and other stakeholders to make better use of Cilacap’s economic potential.

“We believe the Vice-President’s visit to Cilacap regency is very important. He has not come alone, but has also brought investors, relevant ministries and SOEs that may be able to work with stakeholders in Cilacap,” Icuk said.

Cilacap has a range of economic potential that could be developed through cross-sectoral cooperation, he said. Opportunities include strengthening regional-owned enterprises, empowering micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), developing fisheries and expanding environmentally friendly energy.

Icuk said the Vice-President’s presence alongside central government officials could provide an opportunity to match the region’s development needs with the resources and capacity of ministries and SOEs.

“The working visit by Vice-President Gibran and his delegation has a very strategic role. The regency administration and all stakeholders must make immediate use of it and consider what can be optimised,” he said.

Icuk added that the local government already had several foundations for developing the region’s economic potential. One was the preparation of a master plan for fisheries and MSME development involving higher education institutions in Cilacap.

He therefore urged the Cilacap regency administration to identify promptly which cooperation opportunities could be put into practice following the Vice-President’s visit.

He also highlighted the importance of stronger coordination between central and local government through policy instruments, including Law No. 1 of 2022 on Financial Relations between the Central Government and Regional Governments (HKPD).

The regulation, he said, gives local governments scope to strengthen their fiscal capacity and pursue various economic development opportunities.