Jakarta to exchange missions with Seoul
JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta administration and the Seoul Metropolitan Government of South Korea have agreed recently to exchange missions in an effort to strengthen the sister-city relationship, officials said.
"Exchanging missions will strengthen the sister-city relation between the two cities, which was established in 1984," head of Jakarta Intercity Cooperation Office, Aurora Tambunan, told The Jakarta Post early this week.
Another official of the Office said the exchange programs would focus on financial and investment sectors.
"Seoul will send its city councillors later this year to meet their counterparts here to discuss city financial affairs. In return, Jakarta councillors will visit Seoul in 2001," the Office's head of international cooperation division Terman Siregar said.
"Jakarta will send investment officials and businesspeople to a meeting with their South Korean counterparts and seek business opportunities there," he added.
Terman dubbed Seoul as one of the four cities that have actively maintained relations with Jakarta. The other three are Rotterdam, Paris and Tokyo.
"Seoul always gave its hand when we were in need, although not as lavishly as Tokyo Metropolitan Government. But, Seoul is always committed with its foreign relations," said Terman.
In addition to the four cities, Jakarta also has sister-city relations with eight other cities or states in various regions: Beijing in China, Berlin in Germany, Casablanca in Morocco, Islamabad in Pakistan, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Los Angeles and State of Arkansas in the United States, and New South Wales in Australia.
"Currently, there are 20 cities or states who have expressed their interest to establish sister-city relations with Jakarta," said Terman.
He said Jakarta would soon establish relations with three out of the 20 cities, namely Bangkok in Thailand, Istanbul in Turkey and Sao Paulo in Brazil.
"We chose Bangkok because it has conditions similar to Jakarta. We can learn more from their success stories, especially its city development policies," he said.
"As for Istanbul, we want to improve skills of city officials to restore and maintain old buildings," he added.
Terman said the Memorandums of Understanding with Bangkok and Istanbul would be signed later this year, and with Sao Paulo some time next year.
"We'll concentrate on establishing industrial and commercial sector relations with Sao Paulo. Indonesian businesspeople are urged to take this opportunity," he said.
"Besides, we have yet to establish a sister city in the Latin American region," he added.
Commenting on criticism that such programs would only waste money, both Aurora and Terman said the benefits of such relations would not be obtained instantly, but in the long term.
"It's just like spending your money for promotional activities. We have to wait for the results," said Aurora.
"The benefits are not to be realized right now. This is a long term investment so we have to be very patient," Terman said.
"It's important to use the opportunities we have to establish sister city relationships," he added, explaining that the office was only a coordinator for establishing such relations with other cities or regions. (nvn)