Deputy Governor of Jakarta, Rano Karno, met with Acting Mayor of Istanbul, Nuri Aslan, at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Office in Turkey on T hursday (8/21).

Besides reaffirming the Jakarta–Istanbul sister city partnership, the meeting also opened the way for more concrete cooperation in various sectors.

Rano, who was present with Economy and Finance Assistant for Jakarta City Secretariat, Suharini Eliawati; Jakarta Cultural Agency Head, Mochammad Miftahulloh Tamary; and Jakarta Regional Cooperation Bureau Head, Marulina Dewi, emphasized the importance of the long-standing friendship between Indonesia and Turkey, especially in the spirit of mutual assistance when disasters strike in both countries.

He cited the spirit of mutual assistance, such as Indonesia's support when Turkey was shaken by an earthquake, and Turkey's aid when a tsunami occurred in Aceh. This has become a moral foundation for the collaboration between cities in both countries.

"That mutual enthusiasm for helping each other is what we want to translate into a real joint program," he expressed, Saturday (8/23).

As information, the agenda of this meeting focuses on the exchange of experiences in the fields of tourism, culture, youth and sports, economics, and city technology. During the event, the Jakarta delegation outlined the transformation steps toward a global city that remains rooted in cultural identity.

As a global tourist destination city, Istanbul offers a world-class tourism management experience and visitor management. As a follow-up, both parties agreed to develop a measurable work program, including technical workshops, reciprocal work visits, and strengthening networks within the arts, student, and sports communities.

Then, one of the important outcomes of the meeting was support for the Letter of Intent (LoI) signed in Istanbul on Thursday (8/21), between PT Jakarta Propertindo (Perseroda) and ISTAC, the waste management company in Istanbul. The LoI serves as a framework for cooperation in city waste management, covering knowledge sharing on operating final disposal sites (TPA), compost production, management of ship waste, medical and industrial waste, city and sea surface cleaning, as well as energy management and carbon credits.

Additionally, the LoI opens up opportunities for consultation and management service discussions, encourages reciprocal visits to strengthen institutional ties, as well as additional activities such as research, training, cultural exchanges, and information sharing.

Therefore, Rano emphasized that this waste management cooperation is a significant step to improve environmental quality and the efficiency of public services in Jakarta. Istanbul's experience in waste technology and marine cleanliness can serve as a reference for acceleration in Jakarta.

Especially within the framework of a circular economy and performance-based financing. Our clear target: a cleaner city, more efficient service costs, and the opening of green jobs," he asserted.

As a follow-up, Jakarta and Istanbul agreed to form a joint team to develop a roadmap, identify priority projects, and prepare monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. The joint program will also be published periodically to ensure transparency and accountability for the residents of both cities.

Reaching that meeting, Acting Mayor of Istanbul, Nuri Aslan, welcomed this cooperation strengthening mission. She mentioned that Istanbul and Jakarta face similar challenges as global metropolitan cities, ranging from traffic congestion and waste management to technology-based service transformation.

"We are ready to share experiences, from spatial planning to tourism development, so that both cities become more comfortable to live in and more attractive to visitors," she explained.

According to her, the JAKPRO–ISTAC collaboration will serve as a real example of a result-oriented sister city partnership. She believes that Istanbul is ready to facilitate technical exchanges and support pilot projects in Jakarta.

"While promoting cross-sector collaboration in the fields of culture and tourism to strengthen community bonds," she said.