Southeastern Lombok Ready to Implement Blue Economy

Jakarta, IORA – Southeastern part of Lombok Island region, West Nusa Tenggara Province, is ready to be the pilot project for the development of blue economy concept in the Indian Ocean region. “Located in the southeastern part of Lombok island, West Nusa Tenggara, Mandalika can be used as the implementation of IORA blue economy project,” said Honorary Advisor of Tourism Minister, Indroyono Soesilo, in a Business Summit Meeting of the IORA Summit in Jakarta, Monday (6/3). Southeastern part of Lombok has been ready in terms of infrastructure, Indroyono went on to explain, the only thing left is investment from private sectors to develop various projects such as harbor industry, salt, ecotourism, water tourism, accommodation, forestry industry, seaports, and so on. Today, marine-based economic development potential can be found in Indonesia, but the most prepared one is southeastern part of Lombok. “So, it will be better if the blue economy development should only be focused in one region, so that other regions can follow. When there is a concord, there should be an implementation, that is what the government must do,” he said. Based on the deep research, the potential of developing blue economy concept is expected to be profitable for the government, more than that, it can even increase our state budget. “We already calculate that it will bring an extraordinary income,” Indroyono explained. Indroyono expressed hope that the concepts that have been deeply presented can be accepted by other IORA member states, so that other regions that have blue economy potential can be built through the cooperation after the IORA Summit. (Tri Antoro/LT/MUR)