Jakarta (ANTARA) – Investment and Downstreaming Minister and CEO of Danantara, Rosan Roeslani, stated that downstreaming projects strengthen Indonesia's position in the global supply chain.He said Vale's downstreaming project demonstrates that the development of natural resource-based industries can generate higher added value while strengthening Indonesia's position in the global supply chain.”Vale's downstreaming project sets a new standard for international collaboration that is aligned with national interests, namely strengthening resource sovereignty, creating jobs, and generating high added value that supports the Net Zero Emissions agenda,” Roeslani said in a statement here on Saturday.According to him, the development of downstreaming-based industrial estates is also a strategy to build a national electric vehicle ecosystem capable of creating jobs, strengthening industrial self-reliance, and supporting the energy transition target.The project's economic impact is expected to be increasingly felt in nickel-producing regions, such as Central Sulawesi.In addition to driving industrial growth, the development of industrial zones is expected to expand business opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and boost the economic activities of surrounding communities.One development regarded as a milestone in accelerating downstreaming is the progress of the High Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) Sambalagi facility owned by PT Vale Indonesia, a member of the state mining industry holding company MIND ID, in Morowali, Central Sulawesi.The project, which is part of the Indonesia Growth Project (IGP) Morowali and valued at around US$2 billion, has entered an important stage following the arrival of its main autoclave component.The facility, which is being built with three production lines, is targeted to achieve first mechanical completion by the end of 2026.Mining and energy observer Ferdy Hasiman said the HPAL development has become a strategic necessity for the nickel industry amid rising global demand for electric vehicle battery raw materials.According to him, companies capable of developing mineral processing facilities will have greater competitiveness than those still relying on exports of raw materials or low-value-added products.