Indonesia Celebrates Independence in New Capital City Amid Delays, Construction Challenges

Nusantara, Indonesia’s new capital city, has been beset by delays but finally became the centre of the country’s independence celebrations this weekend.
Indonesia Celebrates Independence in New Capital City Amid Delays, Construction Challenges
A general view shows the presidential palace during celebrations marking Indonesia's 79th Independence Day in the future capital Nusantara, in Sepaku, Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan, on Aug. 17, 2024. BAY ISMOYO/AFP via Getty Images
Rex Widerstrom
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Indonesia’s remarkable plan to reinvent not just a capital city but itself as a nation took another step forward over the weekend when the formal celebration of Indonesia’s independence took place in Nusantara, on the Indonesian side of Borneo Island.

But the project, still in its first year, is already facing significant issues, including little interest so far from foreign investors, missed deadlines, disputes over land ownership, and claims of environmental degradation.

Rex Widerstrom
Rex Widerstrom
Author
Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.
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