Amelia Rahima Sari, Jakarta – Representatives from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) visited Indonesia's new capital city Nusantara or IKN. The visit was aimed at reviewing the vision of sustainable development in the area.

UNESCAP Executive Director Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana paid the visit on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, and was accompanied by the IKN Authority representatives, including Special Staff for Sustainable Development Diani Sadiawati and Deputy for Planning and Land Mia Amalia.

"Sustainability is the key point I see during this visit, with the IKN Authority's efforts to carry out reforestation and provide upskilling to local residents to support sustainable livelihoods," said Alisjahbana in an official statement on Monday, Dec. 18.

Diani Sadiawati, the Special Staff for Sustainable Development at the IKN Authority, said that the IKN Authority has built various projects with SDGs. She mentioned that the third phase of the groundbreaking will include more sustainability projects or green projects.

"The IKN Authority is currently preparing a VLR (voluntary local review) supported by UNESCAP and other international partners or organizations to continuously monitor the implementation of SDGs in Nusantara," Diani explained.

She noted that at least nine of the 17 SDGs would be developed in the VLR. "Considering that this is a newly built city," she added.

The UNESCAP delegation and the IKN Authority visited two locations related to reforestation and community empowerment, namely the Mentawir Nursery and the Hydroponic Farming by the residents of Sepaku.

These two programs are among the data sources for the VLR Nusantara's report on Indonesia's SDGs at the SDGs High-Level Political Forum to be held in New York, United States in 2024.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1810739/unescap-visits-indonesias-new-capital-ik