IKN Indonesia Collaborates With Sister City With Astana Kazakhstan

Head of the IKN Authority Bambang Susantono (right) signed an MoU in collaboration with the "sister city" with the Governor of the Capital City of Astana Zhenis Kassymbek (left) in Kazakhstan on Monday (3/7/2023). (ANTARA/HO-KBRI Astana)

JAKARTA - Head of the Capital Archipelago Authority (IKN) Bambang Susantono signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Governor of the Capital City of Astana, Zhenis Kassymbek regarding sister capital city cooperation. This also marks the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations between Indonesia and Kazakhstan. The MoU was signed in Astana on Monday, July 3. The MoU will present mutually beneficial cooperation where Astana can have various success stories and experiences in building the capital city, while the archipelago is expected to share the best practices for sustainable forest city development. "We are grateful to be able to carry out a special task from President Joko Widodo so that the Indonesian Embassy in Astana oversees the process of moving the capital city from Jakarta to the archipelago. Starting from facilitating the Special Committee for the Drafting of the DPR-RI State Capital with the Bappenas Team in January 2022 until now facilitating the presence of the Head of the IKN Authority Bambang Susantono to sign the first sister city collaboration with the capital city of Astana", said Indonesian Ambassador to Kazakhstan M Fadjroel Rachman in a written statement, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, July 4. Prior to the signing of the MoU, the Head of the IKN Authority discussed and exchanged views with the Governor of Astana about the development experience of the nation's capital city. On that occasion, Governor Kassymbek shared the experiences, good practices, and challenges of Astana's development, which has been the new capital city of Kazakhstan for 25 years, since moving from the city of Almaty in 1998. Meanwhile, the Head of Authority Bambang Susantono has explained the vision and development of IKN development which is planned to become the first capital city in the world with smart, modern, green, and sustainable concepts or sustainable forest city. He also underlined that Astana was the first city to establish a cooperation relationship between the capital cities with the archipelago. While in Kazakhstan, Bambang and the Indonesian delegation visited the Astana City traffic monitoring center, city security, and the Astana City Planning Center. He obtained detailed explanations and discussions about the historical background and stages of Astana City development from Chikanayev Amanzhol, a senior city planning designer involved in the early construction of the Astana capital. The visit of the Head of the IKN Authority to Astana was also to attend as the mainnote speaker in the investment forum for Kazakhstan business actors and potential investors with the theme “ Investing in Indonesia ’s Future Capital: Smart and Sustainable Forest City Nusantara ” which was held by the Indonesian Embassy in Astana on July 4, 2023. He will also be an honorary guest and speaker at the World Governor and Mayor International Forum to celebrate 25 years of the capital city of Astana, Kazakhstan.

The opening of the forum will be led by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokaye on July 5, 2023.