Welcoming Rotterdam Mayor, Governor Anies Discusses City Planning Collaboration

We discussed various things that will be faced in the future after the pandemic and strengthened collaboration

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan together with his staff, received the visit of Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb and his delegation at Jakarta City Hall, Central Jakarta, Monday (8/29).

The visit is part of the activities of the G20 member meeting, where the mayors of the members gather to discuss world issues that are relevant nowadays.

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The Governor expressed his respect for the visit, as Jakarta and Rotterdam are deemed to have similarities in terms of challenges and problems of City Management. Both cities are located on the coast and have challenges in managing sea levels.

"We discussed various things that will be faced in the future after the pandemic and strengthened collaboration. We have sent representatives from Jakarta to the Netherlands, where they can experience water management which can be input for our team," he expressed, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release.

They also discussed several issues related to the Dutch Training and Exposure Program (DUTEP) and the exchange of ideas between Jakarta-Rotterdam, as well as signing an MoU which is expected to help find common solutions in advancing each city, both Jakarta and Rotterdam with the various challenges they face.

These two leaders also discussed opportunities for collaboration between the Jakarta Maritime Museum and the Maritime Museum Rotterdam, as well as explained the revitalization of the Kota Tua (Old City) as part of the new face of Jakarta as City of the Future.

"But what we underline is collaboration on common issues concerning the development of the world. So, from the issue of inflation to the problem of handling water issues, handling food issues, we have very broad discussions," he added.

Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb also congratulated Governor Anies regarding the development of Jakarta which can parse congestion and the environment, which is increasing in green every year.

"I see the bicycle lane, Transjakarta, which continues to reflect mass transportation, and this is a big compliment to the revitalization of a city," he expressed.

He also explained the control of water management in order to create stability between Rotterdam and Jakarta, as they have the same challenges. He assessed that Indonesia is a big nation and plays an important role in maintaining stability in Southeast Asia.

"This nation is a big nation for me as an observer from Europe. Stability is important to face the challenges in Southeast Asia. If the country doesn't have stability, it will be difficult to work together in various fields," he concluded.

The visit was also attended by various delegations, namely Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia, Lambert Grijns; Timor Leste and ASEAN; Minister PlenipotentiaryMission and Head of the Economic Department Deputy Head, Mrs. Ardi Stoios-Braken; International Affairs Deputy Head, Mr. Chris de Lange; EU International Affairs Coordinator, Mr. Gerben Wigmans; Director General for Urban Management; and Senior Economic Affairs Officer, Ms. Indy Kateriamalia.