Closing Indonesia's Infrastructure Gap

INDONESIA'S INFRASTRUCTURE GAP

Strewn across an archipelago of 17,000 islands, Indonesia is a remarkable country with a diverse geography. However, when it comes to the country’s infrastructure development and its economy, Indonesia’s impressive geography becomes an obstacle. To continue its economic growth and to spread development across the islands, its government needs to invest billions in everything from roads to hydroelectric dams. Development of infrastructure has accelerated under President Joko Widodo as part of his economic plan. Attracting investment from abroad has become a centrepiece of Jokowi’s foreign policy.

As Indonesia seeks to close its infrastructure gaps, countries like China, Japan, and the USA have launched programs to address infrastructure needs not only in Indonesia but elsewhere in the region. These programs include China’s high-profile Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Japan’s Partnership for Quality Infrastructure (PQI). To help our community understand how these infrastructure initiatives are impacting Indonesia as it seeks to close its own infrastructure gap, the Perth USAsia Centre has developed the Indonesia Infrastructure Map. By plotting where these initiatives are deploying their resources alongside Indonesia’s other projects, we can get a better grasp of how Indonesia is working with these initiatives to fill its gap.