Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta, Rano Karno and his entourage taking a photo with the Mayor of Ankara, Mansur Yavas, at Ankara City Hall, Türkiye. Photo : Ist.
ANKARA, JAKTIMES.COM – Deputy Governor of Jakarta, Rano Karno, met with Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas at Ankara City Hall, Turkey, on Tuesday (August 19). The meeting opened opportunities for strategic city-to-city cooperation ranging from drinking water management, integrated public transportation, to digital service transformation.
“We came to Ankara to open the door for real collaboration that benefits residents. Jakarta wants to exchange experiences on various matters,” Rano said in an official statement received Wednesday night (August 20).
Rano emphasized that Jakarta and Ankara face similar challenges, from improving basic services, integrating transportation modes, to strengthening cultural spaces. According to him, knowledge exchange can accelerate improvements in public services and raise the quality of life.
“I believe networks between cities like Jakarta–Ankara will speed up public service improvements,” he asserted.
Ankara Interested in Jakarta’s Transportation System
Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas welcomed the visit, saying both cities could complement each other. One key interest, he noted, is Ankara’s willingness to learn from Jakarta about integrated public transportation.
“Ankara and Jakarta are ready to share best practices in transportation, water governance, service digitalization, and urban green spaces. We believe the Ankara–Jakarta friendship will produce sustainable and impactful joint programs,” Yavas said.
Diplomatic Support
Indonesian Ambassador to Turkey, Achmad Rizal Purnama, assured that his office is ready to facilitate the follow-up of the cooperation. According to him, this initiative aligns with Jakarta’s target of becoming one of the world’s top 50 global cities.
“We are ready to facilitate technical follow-ups, from business-to-business meetings to preparing cooperation frameworks in line with regulations,” he said.
Focus on Basic Services & Smart City Development
Discussions between the two parties included strengthening reliable drinking water supply, developing integrated transportation, and ensuring public data transparency. They also talked about joint cultural festivals, exchanges among creative communities, youth, and students.
Rano and Yavas further discussed the development of urban green spaces as centers of social interaction, public health, and climate resilience.
This cooperation coincides with the 75th anniversary of Indonesia–Turkey diplomatic relations. To ensure concrete outcomes, both cities agreed to establish a joint working group to focus on priority sectors, carry out technical exchanges, and explore a memorandum of understanding.
During his visit, Rano was accompanied by Jakarta Provincial Government officials, central government representatives, and several Jakarta-owned enterprises (BUMDs), underscoring the focus on collaboration in basic services, culture, and youth empowerment (Wan).