Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Wednesday broke ground on the construction of an airport in the country's new capital city, Nusantara.
Jokowi is this week expected to launch a total of 10 projects worth Rp 12.5 trillion ($783.85 million) in Nusantara, which Indonesia is building from scratch amid the jungles of Kalimantan.
The 347-hectare airport is expected to be fully operational by December 2024, the president said, without detailing the total value of the project.
The government has struggled to attract private investment in the $32-billion city, a flagship project of Jokowi's aimed at moving the seat of government away from congested Jakarta. The country has allocated Rp 40.6 trillion for the construction of Nusantara in its 2024 budget.
A consortium of Indonesian companies including energy firm Adaro, conglomerate Astra International, property firm Agung Sedayu Grup, and energy company Barito Pacific have invested about Rp 20 trillion in Nusantara.
The consortium launched construction on a hotel in September this year. It is still unclear what other projects will be funded by that investment.