MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - The North Sumatra Provincial Government is taking a strategic role in strengthening regional development cooperation across the island of Sumatra. The initiative is being carried out as part of the working meeting of Sumatra's ten governors, which is included in the series of events for the 32nd Ministerial Meeting of the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) in Medan.
The working meeting of Sumatra's ten governors will take place on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. The meeting is one of the key agendas of the 32nd IMT-GT Forum, which is being hosted in Medan from Monday, September 7, 2026, through Thursday, September 10, 2026.
In addition to strengthening subregional cooperation among Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, the meeting will provide provincial governments across Sumatra with an opportunity to intensify development coordination and align shared interests in addressing various regional development challenges.
The lead planning specialist and functional senior planner at the North Sumatra Regional Development Planning, Research and Innovation Agency (Bapperida), Muhammad Armand Effendy Pohan, said the governors of Sumatra's provinces would sign a joint agreement covering development planning, synergies and interregional cooperation.
"The ten governors of Sumatra will sign a joint agreement on development planning, synergies and cooperation among the regions. This is a strategic step that has already been initiated through a preparatory meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs," Effendy said during a press briefing held by the North Sumatra Office of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) in the lobby of the Dekranasda Building at the North Sumatra Governor's Office, Jalan Pangeran Diponegoro Number 30, Medan, on Friday, September 4, 2026.
Ten Provinces Align Their Development Goals
The joint agreement involves provincial governments across the island of Sumatra. The provinces mentioned include North Sumatra, Aceh, Riau, West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu, South Sumatra, Bangka Belitung Islands and Lampung.
Riau is listed twice in the source material. Therefore, the list is understood as comprising ten provinces, namely North Sumatra, Aceh, Riau, West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu, South Sumatra, Bangka Belitung Islands, Lampung, as well as one additional province included in the participant list of the joint agreement.
Effendy explained that the joint agreement is aimed at strengthening development synergies and coordination among Sumatra's provincial governments. The agreement is also expected to encourage regional governments to align their development policies more closely with national development objectives.
According to him, cooperation among provinces is important because various development sectors are closely interconnected and cannot be developed independently by individual regional governments. Therefore, the agreement will also promote cooperation in areas where shared interests exist.
"It is also about strengthening the exchange of data, information, innovations and best practices among the regions. At the same time, it will support integrated, inclusive, competitive and sustainable development throughout Sumatra," he said.
The agreement is expected to enable Sumatra's provincial governments to establish a more coordinated development system. The exchange of data and information will serve as an important foundation for developing more integrated development policies.
Interregional cooperation will also give individual provinces an opportunity to share innovations and best practices. In this way, regional governments can formulate their development programs by taking into account their respective potentials, needs, and the economic and social linkages between regions.
STRENGTHENING REGIONAL SYNERGIES: North Sumatra Bapperida lead planning specialist Muhammad Armand Effendy Pohan explains the planned signing of a joint agreement by Sumatra's ten governors to strengthen development cooperation and coordination among the regions. (PHOTO: YT Hariono)
Cooperation Focuses on Strategic Sectors
The scope of the joint agreement covers a number of strategic sectors considered vital to economic growth and improving the welfare of people across Sumatra.
Effendy said the cooperation would include the coordination and promotion of strategic sectoral partnerships in food security, agriculture, plantations and agribusiness. Provincial governments also intend to advance cooperation in regional tourism and the creative economy.
In addition, the agreement covers the development of an ecosystem for halal industries, products and services. Regional governments also seek to strengthen logistics connectivity and transportation infrastructure between regions to facilitate the movement of goods and population mobility.
"It also includes promoting trade integration and joint investment promotion, environmental protection, disaster preparedness and climate resilience. In addition, there is human resource development and improvement of social welfare, as well as the integration of digital transformation and an integrated data system," he explained.
The cooperation demonstrates that regional development is not focused solely on economic growth. Provincial governments are also incorporating environmental issues, disaster preparedness, climate resilience, human resource development and social welfare into their shared agenda.
The integration of digital transformation and an integrated data system also occupies an important place in the cooperation. Regional governments can utilize stronger data systems to support planning, policymaking and program coordination among provinces.
At the same time, strengthening trade and joint investment promotion is expected to create greater economic opportunities. Through cooperation, the potential of individual provinces can be connected and integrated into a more competitive economic system for Sumatra.
NORTH SUMATRA HOSTS IMT-GT: Deputy for Regional Economic Cooperation at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Sonny A. Soekoer, praises North Sumatra's role as host and provincial coordinator of IMT-GT cooperation in Indonesia. (PHOTO: YT Hariono)
North Sumatra as a Link in IMT-GT Cooperation
Representing the organizing committee of the IMT-GT Forum, Deputy for Regional Economic Cooperation at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Sonny A. Soekoer, praised the North Sumatra Provincial Government's initiative to serve as host of the 32nd IMT-GT Forum.
North Sumatra also serves as the provincial coordinator for IMT-GT cooperation in Indonesia. This gives the province an important responsibility in connecting the development interests of Sumatra's provinces with subregional cooperation involving Malaysia and Thailand.
"North Sumatra has significant potential in agriculture, plantations, tourism and infrastructure connectivity. The role of North Sumatra as coordinator is crucial in integrating the development priorities of all provinces in Sumatra so that they can be taken into account within the subregional forum with Malaysia and Thailand," he said.
According to Sonny, North Sumatra's diverse potential can provide an important foundation for strengthening Indonesia's position within IMT-GT cooperation. Improved connectivity, the development of agriculture and plantations, as well as tourism, can open new opportunities for broader cooperation with regions in Malaysia and Thailand.
Its role as coordinator also places North Sumatra in a strategic position to bring together the various development priorities of Sumatra's provinces. Regional governments can subsequently bring these interests into discussions on subregional cooperation, allowing the development agenda to become more closely interconnected.
The working meeting of Sumatra's ten governors on September 9, 2026, is expected to result in an agreement that goes beyond simply signing a document. Sumatra's provincial governments will need to implement the agreement through work programs, cross-sector coordination and concrete forms of cooperation that deliver benefits to the people.
By integrating economic potential, connectivity, human resources, environmental protection, technology and other strategic sectors, Sumatra's provincial governments have an opportunity to further strengthen the region's competitiveness. The 32nd IMT-GT Forum in Medan also provides a platform for bringing Sumatra's development interests to the level of regional cooperation among Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala