Indonesia has established 24 Special Economic Zones (SEZs), achieving a cumulative investment of IDR 242.5 trillion by the end of September 2024. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto highlighted SEZs as a strategic driver for economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region, comparable to efforts in China and Vietnam. Speaking at the Bisnis Indonesia Economy Outlook 2025 event at Raffles Hotel, Jakarta, on Tuesday (10/12/2024), Airlangga noted that SEZs in Indonesia have generated employment for 151,260 workers across 394 businesses. Notably, investments reached IDR 68.43 trillion in Q3 2024 alone, creating 34,169 new jobs.
President Prabowo Subianto has emphasized the importance of SEZs as a cornerstone of Indonesia’s economic growth strategy, underscoring the need for improved infrastructure and streamlined bureaucracy. Deputy for Economic Affairs at the State Secretariat, Setya Bhakti Parikesit, revealed Prabowo's directive during a closed meeting with his economic team. Setya explained that SEZs aim to enhance industrial activities, exports, and imports while fostering high-value economic growth. The government plans to expand the initiative by adding nine more SEZs to boost investments, accelerate regional development, and support the downstreaming of natural resources.
