JAKARTA – The National Council for Special Economic Zones (SEZ) hosted the Indonesia SEZ Business Forum 2025 on Tuesday in Jakarta as part of a strategic national effort to enhance the global competitiveness of Indonesia’s 25 SEZs and attract international investment. The forum recorded strong participation with 737 attendees, comprising 439 onsite participants and 298 online participants from domestic and international institutions.
The forum was officially opened by Elen Setiadi, Deputy for Energy and Mineral Resources Coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, who also serves as Vice Chair I for Regulation and Institutional Affairs of the SEZ National Council. In his opening remarks, Elen emphasized the critical role of SEZs in promoting equitable development and driving Indonesia’s economic transformation.
“Indonesia has designated 25 SEZs as prototypes offering competitive incentives and simplified licensing processes. These SEZs are supported by integrated infrastructure and demonstrate strong investment value through low ICOR levels of between 2 and 4,” said Elen.
He further noted that SEZs form the backbone of high-quality national growth. “This forum aims to strengthen Indonesia’s SEZs as premier investment destinations. I am confident that the synergy fostered here will generate tangible contributions to national economic growth,” he concluded.
In his keynote address, Todotua Pasaribu, Vice Minister for Investment and Downstream Industry (BKPM), underscored the central role of SEZs in advancing the government’s national downstreaming agenda. “SEZs play a vital role in supporting Indonesia’s downstreaming strategy and enhancing the country’s investment competitiveness,” he stated.
Pasaribu highlighted that the downstreaming sector continues to be the largest contributor to realized investment. “Downstream investment has reached IDR 431 trillion, or 13.1% of total investment realization. This proves that downstreaming is not merely a figure, but delivers real value creation,” he asserted.
To improve licensing efficiency, Pasaribu also noted that the government has introduced regulatory reforms. “Licensing processes now operate under a ‘Fiktif Positif’ mechanism and a Service Level Agreement framework, creating concrete efficiency within the national investment ecosystem,” he explained.
The forum opened with the SEZ Outlook 2026 session, which featured international experts including Dr. Rashesh Shrestha, Economist at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA); Euan Marshall, Country Manager for Indonesia and Timor-Leste at the International Finance Corporation (IFC); and Cahyo Purnomo, Director of Promotion for East Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa at the Ministry of Investment and Downstream Industry/BKPM. The session was moderated by Ian Betts, Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce, and focused on strategies to enhance the global competitiveness of Indonesia’s SEZs by benchmarking them against regional peers and international best practices.
Panelists discussed strategies to strengthen the global competitiveness of Indonesia’s SEZs, benchmarking them against regional peers and global best practices. The program continued with the SEZ Business Dialogue, Business Pitching sessions involving 18 SEZs, and the SEZ Success Story Talkshow, featuring insights from businesses operating within the zones.
Through cross-sectoral dialogue, international engagement, and direct interaction between investors and SEZ developers, the Indonesia SEZ Business Forum 2025 affirms the critical role of SEZs in accelerating Indonesia’s economic transformation, driving downstreaming, and improving national investment competitiveness.
The strong synergy demonstrated throughout the forum opens pathways for long-term collaboration and strengthens Indonesia’s position as a leading regional investment hub and global economic growth center.