Mita Hapsari, Jakarta – After attending the United Nations (UN) invitation in New York, Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung returned to Indonesia, bringing the results of several collaborations with global regional leaders. This initiative marks a concrete step toward realizing his vision of making Jakarta a world-class city.
On the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) at the UN Headquarters, Pramono met with the mayors of Heidelberg, Germany; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and New York.
Pramono expressed his hope that the collaborations with the heads of major cities around the world can help propel Jakarta into the top 50 global cities.
"Hopefully, what we aspire to make Jakarta one of the top 50 global cities can be achieved," Pramono said on Tuesday.
In addition, Pramono also visited the High Line, a former railway track in New York that has been transformed into a green open space with various functions.
Pramono expressed interest in replicating this concept by converting abandoned spaces in several areas of Jakarta into green open spaces.
According to him, adopting this concept would allow the government to bypass land acquisition issues, which is a major challenge in Jakarta. Most of these abandoned spaces are owned by the central and local governments.
"If that can be developed, there would be little to no need for land acquisition. And that would bring shared benefits to the community. Including spaces for sports, skateboarding, and other facilities – we will work on improving those," Pramono explained.
Previously, the Jakarta Provincial Government and the City Government of Heidelberg, Germany, officially signed a memorandum of understanding on future collaboration that will focus on digital transformation, sustainable urban management, renewable energy, and environmentally friendly technology.