Jokowi-Tony Blair Discuss UAE Solar Panel Investment in IKN

The Tony Blair Institute will facilitate further discussions on solar panel investment cooperation from the UAE.

KOMPAS/NINA SUSILO

Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute, Tony Blair (wearing blue), left the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, after meeting with President Joko Widodo, Thursday (18/4/2024).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair met with President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace. They discussed a number of things such as logistics flows, carbon storage and digitalization in the Archipelago Capital or IKN. Investment plans solar panels from the United Arab Emirates were also discussed at the meeting.

Tony Blair, who is also the Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) met President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (18/4/2024) at around 10.15 WIB. Blair was accompanied by TBI Asia Regional Managing Director Jalil Rasheed, TBI South East Asia Regional Director Damian Hickey, TBI Indonesia Country Director Shuhaela Haqim, and TBI Indonesia Manager David Batubara.

President Jokowi was accompanied at the meeting by Minister of State Secretary Pratikno, Minister of Investment Bahlil Lahadalia, and Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform Azwar Anas.

When giving a statement after the meeting, Bahlil said that there were plans to invest in new renewable energy related to solar panels from the United Arab Emirates at IKN. Apart from that, there are still investments related to carbon storage (carbon storage) and several logistics flows in IKN. "We are still working on the details," said Bahlil.

Also read: President Ensures Sustainability of IKN

Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia gave a statement to journalists after accompanying President Joko Widodo in receiving Executive Chairman Tony Blair of the Tony Blair Institute on Thursday, April 18, 2024.

The solar panel investment cooperation from the United Arab Emirates will be further discussed with the facilitation of the Tony Blair Institute. One state-owned company, namely PT PLN (Persero), is expected to cooperate in the solar panel investment cooperation with a capacity of 1.2 gigawatts.

Also read: PLN Maximizes Use of Renewable Energy for Power Generation in IKN

According to Bahlil, this interest will be followed up immediately. The contract is expected to be signed this year or at least completed by the IKN Authority.

The discussion between President Jokowi and Tony Blair also included plans for utilizing carbon storage in Indonesia, which is expected to become a new source of state revenue. This will be managed to provide incentives for industries that enter Indonesia.

The discussion between President Jokowi and Tony Blair also included plans for utilizing carbon storage in Indonesia, which is expected to become a new source of state revenue. This will be managed to provide incentives for industries that enter Indonesia.

"We talked about carbon storage, which we decided yesterday, 70 (percent) domestic, 30 (percent) overseas," said Bahlil.

In this regard, it was agreed that a small team would be formed to accelerate the realization of this investment.

Digitalization

Anas said, digital transformation will continue to be accelerated. Tony at the meeting assured that there was no faster way to multiply the country's achievements and efficient bureaucracy except through a digitalization program.

The Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform, Azwar Anas, gave a statement to journalists after accompanying President Joko Widodo in receiving Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute, Tony Blair, on Thursday (18/4/2024).

President Jokowi has directed for digital services to be integrated through a national portal. This is expected to facilitate the community in accessing various government services.

"Nowadays there are so many applications, there are 27,000 applications. And every innovation has been creating applications. So, what happens is not facilitating the people to get services, but making it difficult for them," said Anas.

Also read: Government Prepares Super Apps for Various Services

Until now, he added, there have been 260 meetings held to push for the integration of various digital services that have been developed by various ministries/institutions individually.

Every innovation so far has created an application. So, what happens is not making it easier for people to get services, but making it difficult for people.

President Joko Widodo received Tony Blair, former PM of the United Kingdom who is also the Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute, at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Thursday (18/4/2024). The discussion revolved around investment in the renewable energy sector and digital transformation.

"We needed 36 meetings just for Digital ID because the authority for the Digital Population Identity (IKD) is in the Ministry of Home Affairs, but the basic digital identity is in the Ministry of Communication and Information," said Anas.

Also read: INA Digital Formed, More Than 27,000 Applications Deleted

Discussions to find solutions also require a long process. "Thank God, we have finished all this so that govtech Indonesia has carried out the process of recruiting 300 digital talents. "And, this will jump to the completion of the national portal system which is being carried out by Kominfo, Ministry of Home Affairs, BSSN, Bappenas, and us from the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform to integrate other portals," said Anas.

The team from the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) asked INA Digital as Indonesia's govtech to be launched immediately. Then, TBI will help integrate various service systems.