Indonesia will host the New Asia Forum (NAF) 2026 in Bali on 3–4 December, an event designed to mobilize US$30 billion in investment across the New Asia region by strengthening strategic partnerships and accelerating investment execution. Held under the patronage of President Prabowo Subianto, with Danantara Indonesia as a founding partner, the forum aims to move beyond conventional economic dialogue and translate investment interest into concrete commitments, financing structures, and measurable outcomes, according to Media OutReach Newswire.
The significance of the announcement lies in the gap between Asia's economic weight and the capital it attracts. The Asia-Pacific region currently accounts for nearly 60% of global economic growth, yet long-term international capital allocation to the region remains below its potential. NAF 2026 is positioned to close that gap by convening more than 1,000 global leaders, over 100 speakers, and more than 40 sessions involving sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, development finance institutions, multinational corporations, and government representatives.
Pahala Nugraha Mansury, Managing Director of Global Relations & Communications at Danantara Indonesia, emphasized Asia's growing potential to attract long-term global capital amid shifting economic and geopolitical dynamics. "Our focus is on encouraging long-term capital to recognize the many investment opportunities across Asian countries, because this is precisely where the center of gravity for growth lies. This will enable growth at scale, anchored by ASEAN and driven by Indonesia as the largest country in ASEAN," he said.
The speaker roster underscores the forum's ambition, including Masayoshi Son, Chairman and CEO of SoftBank Group; Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan; Kathleen Quirk, Chief Executive Officer of Freeport-McMoRan; Matteo Renzi, former Prime Minister of Italy; and Israfil Mammadov, Chief Executive Officer of the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Their participation signals that the forum is intended to link policy, industry, and capital at the highest levels.
The two-day structure is built for execution. The first day, Discovery & Diligence, focuses on investment opportunities, feasibility, and transaction structures. The second, Action & Execution, advances capital commitments, strategic partnerships, and implementation milestones. Eight priority sectors will anchor discussions: strategic resources and downstreaming; energy and power; advanced mobility and manufacturing; digital infrastructure and AI; food and agribusiness; trade and connectivity; tourism and creative economy; and education and human capital.
As a founding partner, Danantara Indonesia will participate as a co-investor alongside global partners, supporting investment in strategic sectors and reinforcing Indonesia's role in regional economic transformation. The forum aims to deliver preliminary investment agreements, bankable financing structures, and clearly defined implementation milestones, with commitments and progress tracked across subsequent editions to promote accountability and tangible economic impact for Indonesia and the wider region.
For businesses and investors, the forum represents a potential pipeline of projects and partnerships in sectors ranging from critical minerals to digital infrastructure. For Indonesia, hosting the event reinforces its ambition to position itself as a gateway to Asia's growth, using its scale within ASEAN to attract the long-term capital the region has yet to fully capture.
