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NORTH MALUKU — North Maluku Governor Sherly Tjoanda attended and took part in discussions at the APINDO North Maluku Business Forum, held under the theme “Unlocking North Maluku’s Investment Potential” on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the APINDO office.

Initiated by the Indonesian Employers Association (APINDO), the forum served not only as a platform to explore North Maluku’s investment potential and opportunities, but also brought together businesspeople interested in investing in and developing the province’s resources and economic potential.

APINDO Chairwoman Shinta W. Kamdani emphasized that incoming investment should generate tangible impacts, going beyond simply adding capital to also supporting industrial development and creating employment opportunities.

The forum was attended by several APINDO officials, including Deputy Chairman of the APINDO Advisory Board Hariyadi Sukamdani; APINDO Deputy Chairmen Eddy Hussy and Sanny Iskandar; Deputy Secretary General Hendra Widjaja, Lucia Karina, and Anggana Bunawan; Head of APINDO’s International Relations Division Catharina Widjaja; Head of Infrastructure Denon Prawiraatmadja; Head of APINDO’s MSMEs and Cooperatives Division Ronald Walla; Head of Fisheries and Livestock Hendra Sugandhi; Deputy Head of Banking and Financial Services Anika Faisal; Deputy Head of Organization Muliawan Margadana; Deputy Head of Trade Jahja Soenardjo; Chairwoman of APINDO’s Multilateral International Relations Committee Rinawati Prihatiningsih; APINDO Energy and Mineral Resources official Roy Arman; Chairman of APINDO’s Yogyakarta Provincial Leadership Council George Marantika; along with other APINDO officials.

APINDO considers North Maluku to have significant potential to expand investment beyond extractive industries, particularly through the blue economy. With approximately 76 percent of its territory consisting of marine areas, the province has considerable opportunities in capture fisheries, seaweed cultivation, shrimp, grouper, and other high-value marine commodities.

The province’s seaweed cultivation potential is estimated at approximately 592,000 hectares, which could be developed through downstream processing into a range of value-added products, including cosmetics.

To unlock this potential, the investment ecosystem needs to be strengthened through the provision of cold-storage facilities, ports, larger-capacity vessels, and improved logistics connectivity. These measures would help make North Maluku’s products more competitive and connect them with both domestic and international markets.

Sherly Tjoanda said the North Maluku provincial government is emphasizing the importance of economic diversification and ensuring that economic growth translates into more inclusive prosperity.

With approximately 60 percent of the population dependent on agriculture and fisheries, she said economic transformation must go hand in hand with the development of roads and bridges, stronger connectivity, and improved access to cold-storage facilities for fishermen.

Human-resource development is also a key priority, particularly through education, vocational training, and continuous assistance, enabling local communities to play a greater role in investment value chains.

The provincial government is also promoting a transparent investment information system and a one-stop service mechanism to strengthen investment certainty and sustainability.

The forum also opened opportunities for business collaboration in the development of industrial estates, fisheries and seaweed industries, trade, MSMEs, education and research, as well as the creative economy and sustainable development.

APINDO emphasized that the success of investment should not be measured solely by the amount of capital brought into the province, but also by the scale of its impact and the value added created after the investment takes place.

Investment, therefore, is expected not merely to come to North Maluku, but to grow together with North Maluku and become rooted in the local economy and communities.

APINDO Chairwoman Shinta W. Kamdani also invited APINDO officials and business leaders to visit Ternate during the provincial conference and inauguration of the APINDO North Maluku Provincial Leadership Council on October 15, providing an opportunity to see the province’s potential and natural beauty firsthand.

Source: Tribunnews.com