September 1, 2026 | 03:47 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta is bolstering sister city ties with several cities in the US in a bid to expand urban diplomacy and boost its position as a global city, according to Indonesian Ambassador to the US Indroyono Soesilo, during a meeting with Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung on Monday.
"Sister city cooperation, education development, creative industries, and opportunities to present international musicians and film industries must be seen as part of a strategy to strengthen Jakarta's position on the international stage," Indroyono said, as quoted from a press release on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.
According to him, intercity cooperation not only aims to strengthen diplomatic relations but also to leverage economic growth and competitive creative industries, education, and culture.
During the meeting, the two discussed follow-up to various strategic agendas, including the sister city partnership, the establishment of an Indonesia Center in New York, a scholarship program for young Jakarta talent, and the development of the international creative and entertainment industry.
Jakarta currently has ongoing sister city ties with Los Angeles, which encompass various sectors, including trade, economics, tourism, arts and culture, the environment, urban planning, education, and science and technology.
In recent years, Jakarta-Los Angeles cooperation has also expanded into environmentally friendly transportation, including collaboration between TransJakarta and the Los Angeles City Government.
This collaboration will be a relevant agenda item in Governor Pramono Anung's planned meeting with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass at the Urban 20 (U20) forum, part of the G20 meeting series in New York on September 19-23, 2026.
Besides Los Angeles, Jakarta also partners with Arkansas, which is expected to open the doors for further collaboration in the fields of economics, culture, and public services.
Jakarta is also planning to establish a sister city partnership with New York.
Governor Pramono is expected to meet with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser at the U20 forum, in a bid to strengthen Jakarta's network with major US cities.
In the meeting with Ambassador Indroyono, Governor Pramono also discussed the development of an Indonesia Center near Broadway and Times Square in New York. This facility is expected to become a permanent showcase for Indonesia in one of the world's major economic and tourism centers.
Jakarta is also seeking to send talented Jakarta youths to pursue master's and doctoral degrees at several leading US universities through the Jakarta Provincial Government's scholarship program.
In the creative industry sector, Jakarta is opening opportunities to facilitate international musicians and bands, such as BTS, The Weeknd, Guns N' Roses, and Metallica, to bolster the city's international appeal.
Jakarta is also exploring collaboration opportunities with the Motion Picture Association to encourage international film production in the Indonesian capital.
Through these various agendas, the Jakarta government strives to expand Jakarta's role from a mere government and national economy hub into an urban diplomacy, international education, and creative industry hub in Asia.
Read: Jakarta Taps South Korea's Jeju for 'Sister City' Collaboration
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