VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Photo :IKN Nusantara in Sepaku Sub-district, North Penajam Paser District, East Kalimantan Province. (ANTARA/Nyaman Bagus Purwaniawan).

VOINews, Jakarta :The Nusantara City Capital Authority (OIKN) signed a grant agreement with the United States in order to realize Nusantara as a smart forest city.

OIKN's Deputy for Green and Digital Transformation Mohammed Ali Berawi noted in the agency's statement here on Saturday that the construction of Nusantara City in East Kalimantan is a rare occurrence, as it pertains to moving the nation's capital.

"We invite international collaboration to be part of the development of Nusantara modern, sustainable, and global city. We appreciate the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) grant support to facilitate the collaboration," Berawi remarked.

He lauded the US government's support in contributing to the construction of Nusantara as a smart city.Meanwhile, USTDA Director Enoh T. Ebong expressed her agency's support for the development of Nusantara City.Ebong remarked that during her career in infrastructure development spanning two decades, she has never seen such extraordinary work like the Nusantara development.She underscored the need for both countries to work hard, so that the grant partnership can be realized optimally.

The USTDA is an independent agency of the US government, with the mission of helping to advance economic development in developing countries. Ebong stated that the platform can support the success of Nusantara's development, facilitate the exchange of good experiences and best practices in smart city development, and open opportunities for cooperation in planning and implementation. 

Indonesia and USTDA signed a US$2.49 million grant agreement that will be utilized to fund technical assistance related to the implementation of smart city technologies and solutions in Nusantara.The OIKN and USTDA are also in the process of discussions to prepare a grant cooperation for the second phase of the command center pilot project. ANTARA/VOI