Kendari and its Transformation into the New Epicentre of Eastern Indonesia

INFO TEMPO - Kendari will turn 195 years old on Saturday, 9 May 2026, celebrating its anniversary with various activities. At an age approaching two centuries, Kendari has developed from a coastal area into a port city and administrative centre in Southeast Sulawesi province.

The commemoration of Kendari City's 195th Anniversary began with a ceremony at City Hall on Saturday morning. The series of celebrations also included a subsidised market selling essential goods for residents, a cultural festival and traditional games at Nambo Beach, and a welcoming dinner featuring capital city artists in the former MTQ grounds.

This year's 195th Anniversary celebrations for Kendari City also coincide with the 2026 UCLG ASPAC Executive Bureau Meeting & Asia Pacific Forum or UCLG ASPAC 2026, held in Kendari and attended by delegations from 14 Asia-Pacific countries.

Kendari Mayor Siska Karina Imran provided aid worth Rp 1 million to 100 SMEs for business development. The symbolic handover of the aid also commemorates Kendari City's 195th Anniversary on Saturday, 9 May 2026. Dok. TEMPO

Mayor Siska Karina Imran stated that at the age of 195 years for Kendari City, the various development achievements attained form an important foundation that must be maintained and continued. She emphasised that at this age approaching two centuries, Kendari wants to continue growing into a modern city without leaving behind its cultural roots and local identity.

According to her, several macro indicators show positive performance by the city government, such as economic growth at an average of the national rate of 5.16 percent, inflation control, and improvements in the quality of life for the community. "The achievements we have attained must continue to be maintained so that development in Kendari City can proceed and its benefits are increasingly felt by all parties, especially the residents," said Siska.

She affirmed that the Kendari City Government, together with Deputy Mayor Sudirman, is committed to promoting inclusive development across all sectors, from infrastructure and economy to public services.

According to her, development must not focus only on one particular sector but must touch all aspects that are the needs of the community. "We want to encourage all sectors to develop inclusively, so that development truly provides benefits that are evenly distributed to all Kendari City residents," she said.

Siska also expressed her appreciation to Deputy Interior Minister Akhmad Wijagus and the Director General of Regional Autonomy who attended the Kendari Anniversary commemoration. She viewed the presence of the central government as a form of support for the city to continue improving to become more advanced and competitive.

"On behalf of the Kendari City Government and the entire community, we express our thanks for the attention given to Kendari City. This presence becomes motivation for us to continue building Kendari into an increasingly advanced city," said Siska.

Deputy Interior Minister Akhmad Wijagus assessed that the ongoing international forum proves Kendari's capacity as a modern city capable of hosting global-scale agendas.

According to him, this success is evidence that Kendari's development direction is on the right track by combining modern infrastructure with local cultural strengths. "Kendari is currently not only the capital of Southeast Sulawesi but also a centre of attention for regional governance across the Asia-Pacific," said Akhmad. "This is global validation that Kendari has transcended regional boundaries and is able to provide a competitive MICE ecosystem."

Akhmad described Kendari as the face of future Indonesia: a modern, economically ambitious city that still maintains its cultural roots and is socially inclusive. The Ministry of Home Affairs records several positive performance indicators for the city government, including economic growth higher than the national average.

Inflation is kept at 2.96 percent, while the Human Development Index (HDI) reaches 86.36 percent, positioning Kendari in the sixth highest national ranking. The per capita income of the community has also reached Rp85.16 million per year. "These figures show that government investments in education, health, and economy are truly felt by the community," said Akhmad.

Kendari as the Gateway to the Blue Economy

Furthermore, according to Akhmad, Kendari City is now beginning to grow as a new epicentre in eastern Indonesia. Its strategic location in the Banda Sea area makes Kendari have an important role as a logistics, trade, and services gateway in the Southeast Sulawesi region.

The city's position with its bay opens up great opportunities for blue economy development, including marine tourism, port services, and distribution of flagship commodities from the hinterland or supporting areas of Sulawesi, particularly Southeast Sulawesi.

With ongoing developing infrastructure support and high-quality human resources, Kendari is assessed to have all the prerequisites to grow into an epicentre of creative economy and MICE industry in eastern Indonesia. This transformation is expected to create new job opportunities while accelerating inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

Akhmad continued that there are five main agendas that need to be priorities for the regional government. One of them is strengthening transparent, accountable, and digital-based governance.

Second, accelerating quality and equitable infrastructure development. Third, developing a sustainable city by maintaining a balance between economic growth and preservation as well as the quality of life for its residents.

Fourth, making the region a laboratory for innovation, including strengthening community nutrition and vocational education, as well as strengthening social and cultural resilience by preserving local wisdom values amid globalisation.