North Sumatra’s investment potential presented to Belgian ambassador
The Deputy Governor of North Sumatra (Sumut), Surya, affirmed the provincial government’s commitment to maintaining a safe and stable investment climate.
Surya conveyed this assurance during a meeting with David Jordens, the Belgian Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and ASEAN.
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The meeting, held at the North Sumatra Governor’s office at Jalan Diponegoro No. 30 in Medan, focused on potential areas of collaboration, including industry, plantations, education, sports, and technology.
According to Surya, North Sumatra holds significant potential for development in partnership with Belgium. The meeting is expected to serve as a starting point for more concrete cooperation that will benefit both regions and their communities.
“I believe we can achieve a great deal together, as North Sumatra possesses immense potential, and we guarantee a safe and stable investment climate for our region’s development,” Surya stated.
Surya hopes that this meeting will lead to more concrete collaboration that has a direct impact on the community.
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Furthermore, Belgium offers various advantages that could be leveraged in North Sumatra, particularly in the fields of education, sports, and technology.
“I hope that in the future we can discuss more concrete cooperation—collaboration that benefits the development of both North Sumatra and Belgium, as well as the well-being of our communities,” Surya added.
Meanwhile, David Jordens expressed interest in collaborating with North Sumatra in the sports sector. He noted that the province boasts international-standard sports facilities, presenting opportunities to foster cooperation between Belgium and North Sumatra.
“Not only in the field of sports, but also in sports technology. We have many sports-related companies—for instance, firms that supply and manage artificial turf, lighting, and design services. If there is a business match, I will bring investors here,” said Jordens.
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Beyond sports, Jordens is also interested in the development and management of oil palm plantations in North Sumatra. According to him, the current challenge lies in effectively and efficiently increasing oil palm productivity without expanding the agricultural land area.
“We are currently considering how to produce more palm oil on existing land, rather than expanding the cultivated area. We can strengthen this collaboration,” Jordens stated.
In August 2026, Jordens was appointed by the Kingdom of Belgium as ambassador to Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and the ASEAN nations, succeeding Frank Felix. Prior to this, he served as spokesperson for the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ***rel
Potensi Investasi Sumatera Utara Ditawarkan ke Duta Besar Belgia
Wakil Gubernur (Wagub) Sumatera Utara (Sumut) Surya memastikan Pemerintah Provinsi (Pemprov) Sumut berkomitmen menciptakan iklim investasi yang aman dan nyaman bagi para investor.
Komitmen tersebut disampaikan Surya saat bertemu dengan Duta Besar Belgia untuk Indonesia, Timor Leste dan ASEAN, David Jordens.
Pertemuan yang berlangsung di Kantor Gubernur Sumut, Jalan Diponegoro Nomor 30, Medan, membahas peluang kerja sama di berbagai bidang potensial, di antaranya industri, perkebunan, akademik, olahraga dan teknologi.
Menurut Surya, Sumatera Utara memiliki potensi besar untuk dikembangkan bersama Belgia. Karena itu, pertemuan tersebut diharapkan menjadi pintu awal untuk membangun kerja sama yang lebih konkret dan memberikan manfaat bagi kedua daerah serta masyarakat.
“Saya rasa banyak yang bisa kita kembangkan bersama karena Sumut memiliki potensi yang sangat besar, dan kami memastikan investasi yang aman dan nyaman untuk membangun daerah kami,” kata Surya.
Surya berharap pertemuan tersebut dapat ditindaklanjuti melalui kerja sama yang lebih konkret dan berdampak langsung terhadap masyarakat.
Terlebih, Belgia memiliki sejumlah keunggulan yang dapat dikolaborasikan dengan Sumut, khususnya di bidang akademik, olahraga, dan teknologi.
“Ke depannya saya harap kita bisa membahas kerja sama yang lebih konkret, kerja sama yang bisa memberikan dampak pada pembangunan Sumut dan Belgia dan juga kesejahteraan masyarakat kita,” kata Surya.
Sementara itu, David Jordens menyampaikan ketertarikannya untuk menjajaki kerja sama di bidang olahraga dengan Sumut. Menurutnya, Sumut memiliki kompleks fasilitas olahraga berstandar internasional yang dapat menjadi peluang pengembangan kerja sama antara Belgia dan Sumut.
“Bukan cuma terkait atlet, tetapi juga teknologi olahraga, kami memiliki banyak perusahaan olahraga seperti penyedia dan pengelolaan rumput lapangan, pencahayaan, desain, bila ada bussiness matching saya akan bawa investor ke sini,” kata Jordens.
Selain olahraga, Jordens juga tertarik pada pengembangan dan pengelolaan kelapa sawit di Sumut. Menurutnya, tantangan saat ini adalah meningkatkan produktivitas sawit secara efektif dan efisien tanpa harus menambah luas lahan.
“Sekarang kita sudah berfikir bagaimana sawit bisa menghasilkan lebih banyak dengan lahan yang ada, bukan menambah luas lahannya, kita bisa perkuat kerja sama ini,” kata Jordens.
Jordens ditunjuk Kerajaan Belgia sebagai Duta Besar untuk Indonesia, Timor Leste dan ASEAN pada Agustus 2026, menggantikan Frank Felix. Sebelumnya, dia merupakan juru bicara Kementerian Luar Negeri Belgia. ***rel
