Japan Bank Eyes Off-Java Infrastructure Projects

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) will help push the Indonesian economy by joining the discussion on infrastructure development in a number of sectors. In the 5th annual Financial Policy Dialogue with the Indonesian government yesterday, the JBIC expressed their commitment to help in the fields of energy, transportation, and environmental cooperation strategy.

JBIC Governor Watanabe Hiroshi said his bank has been instrumental in building the infrastructure in Java, as there are plenty of Japanese companies engaged in economic activities on the island. Regarding the government's off-Java infrastructure development program, JBIC is also keen to participate but said they will first need to learn about the government's policies over the program's concepts.

Finance Minister Bambang P.S. Brodjonegoro hopes the JBIC can provide optimum support in Indonesia's infrastructure development through public-private partnership scheme and as well as private-SOE collaboration.

In addition to discussing about the potential development of infrastructure financing, the JBIC and the government also talked about recent economic conditions, risk management, as well as cooperation in the energy sector, especially oil and gas. 

ODELIA SINAGA