Indonesia President Joko Widodo has officially launched two new Special Economic Zones (SEZs) located in Banten and Riau Islands provinces, aimed at stimulating investment and economic growth. The Banten SEZ will prioritise research, digital economy, educational health, and creative industries. In contrast, the Riau Islands SEZ will focus on international health tourism. The government expects these SEZs to have a significant impact on the economy, create jobs, and attract substantial investment. Rizal Edwin Manansang, Secretary-General of the National Council for SEZs, emphasised the government's commitment to enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy through strategic sector development. The SEZ in Banten is projected to attract investments of $12 billion and create employment opportunities for over 13,000 workers when fully operational. Meanwhile, the SEZ in Batam aims to attract investments of $440 million and generate employment for approximately 100,000 workers. With the addition of these two new SEZs, Indonesia now has a total of 22 SEZs with 368 business operators. The government has set a target of around 38,000 workers to be employed in these zones by the end of the year. Attribution: Xinhua Subediting: M. S. Salama
