Pekanbaru and Bandung City Governments Collaborate to Accelerate Regional Development
The Pekanbaru City Government (Pemkot) has entered into an inter-regional cooperation with the Bandung City Government through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Bandung on Wednesday, 8 July 2026. The agreement represents a strategic move by the Pekanbaru administration to accelerate regional development and enhance the competitiveness of the Riau provincial capital, aiming to bring it on par with other major Indonesian cities.
Pekanbaru Mayor Agung Nugroho stated that the cooperation covers various strategic sectors, including public services, investment, digital governance, increasing locally generated revenue (PAD), urban area planning, creative economy development, and strengthening inter-regional connectivity. “Bandung is a city with numerous innovations and successes in governance and urban development. There is much we can learn and collaborate on so that Pekanbaru continues to grow and can stand alongside other major cities in Indonesia,” Agung said.
A key point in the meeting was support for the planned reopening of Husein Sastranegara Airport operations on 17 September. According to Agung, this momentum must be harnessed to push for the resumption of direct Pekanbaru–Bandung flight routes. “We welcome the reopening of Husein Sastranegara Airport. Together with the Bandung City Government, we hope to propose to the Ministry of Transportation, airport operators, and airlines that the direct Pekanbaru–Bandung and Bandung–Pekanbaru routes be reopened soon,” he said.
Agung noted that direct flights would facilitate the mobility of residents, business actors, students, tourists, and government officials. At the same time, this connectivity would open up broader cooperation opportunities across various fields. “Bandung is a centre for education, the creative economy, trade, and tourism. With easier access, opportunities for cooperation in investment, trade, education, MSMEs, the creative economy, health, and public services will be even greater and benefit the communities of both cities,” he explained.
Pekanbaru is also projected to benefit from increased visits by people from West Java, which would impact the hospitality, culinary, entertainment, and event sectors, as well as boost locally generated revenue. Beyond tourism, the cooperation is expected to strengthen the trade supply chain between Sumatra and Java. With shorter travel times, the distribution of goods and the mobility of business actors are believed to become more efficient, thereby enhancing the economic competitiveness of both regions.
Agung added that the Pekanbaru city government is committed to facilitating investors and business actors from Bandung who wish to invest in Pekanbaru through a fast, easy, and transparent digital licensing system that provides service certainty. The cooperation also serves as a means for the Pekanbaru administration to learn from Bandung’s successes in regional development, including strategies for increasing locally generated revenue, managing historical areas, arranging city parks and green open spaces, organising utility networks and fibre optic cables, and developing digital governance and innovative public services.
Both local governments are also committed to strengthening cooperation in education, health, and public services, including promoting easier access to services for Pekanbaru residents in Bandung, particularly students. Bandung Mayor Muhammad Farhan welcomed the cooperation, stating that inter-city collaboration is an important step for exchanging experiences and innovations and for accelerating regional development. He expressed appreciation for the various innovations carried out by the Pekanbaru city government under Mayor Agung Nugroho’s leadership, noting that the programmes have received a positive response from the public and demonstrate a strong commitment to improving governance.
Farhan expressed hope that the MoU signing would not remain a mere ceremony but would be followed up with concrete programmes delivering real benefits to the communities of both cities, including pushing for the reopening of the direct Pekanbaru–Bandung flight route to strengthen connectivity and cooperation across various sectors. Agung emphasised that the MoU signing was not just ceremonial but a concrete step in building inter-regional networks to accelerate Pekanbaru’s progress. “Through this collaboration, we aim to bring Pekanbaru further forward, improve the quality of public services, strengthen the regional economy, expand investment, build better connectivity, and realise a Pekanbaru that is on par with other major cities in Indonesia,” he concluded.