Prabowo: IWIP development has employed more than 100,000 people

Jakarta (ANTARA) – President Prabowo Subianto said development of the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) in Central Halmahera regency, North Maluku, had generated more than 100,000 jobs.

“Since development of the industrial park began, employment has reportedly reached more than 100,000 people,” Prabowo said on Thursday at the launch of a downstreaming programme at IWIP in Central Halmahera.

In a live broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel, Prabowo said the job creation had accompanied investment growth in the industrial park, which focuses on processing natural resources.

Prabowo said that, according to Investment and Downstreaming Minister Rosan Roeslani, realised investment at IWIP had reached about US$20 billion, with a further US$7 billion in investment planned.

At the event, Prabowo launched a downstreaming programme worth US$10.2 billion, or about Rp180 trillion. It included the first export of electric vehicle batteries and the launch of 11 downstreaming projects.

The projects comprise the commercialisation of four industrial projects and the construction of seven new industrial projects at IWIP.

The President also urged industry development to take environmental and safety considerations into account, including protecting water and air quality and managing waste.

“We must face the future well and with a strong sense of responsibility towards our children and grandchildren,” Prabowo said.

He said he hoped the partnership and friendship with Indonesia’s partners would continue to grow, strengthening relations and benefiting the people of Indonesia and partner countries.

“Thank you for your partnership and trust. May our partnership and friendship bring our two nations closer together and deliver greater benefits for our people,” Prabowo said.