Economics
Indonesia Celebrates a New Capital Struggling to Take Shape
- President will declare Nusantara open on Independence Day
- Jakarta will remain Indonesia’s capital for foreseeable future
Building construction at the new capital in Nusantara in July.
Photographer: Muhammad Fadli/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Indonesia is set to inaugurate its unfinished future capital city in the middle of a remote jungle on the island of Borneo, as funding struggles, missed deadlines and a change in the country’s leadership weigh on the multibillion dollar project.
President Joko Widodo will declare Nusantara open on Saturday as he marks the country’s independence day. But the ambitious project remains a giant work in progress, with most roads and buildings far from complete, and Jokowi has indicated that Jakarta will still be the official capital when he leaves office in October.