Prime Minister James Marape has expressed his utmost satisfaction with the State Visit of Indonesian President H.E. Joko Widodo to Papua New Guinea on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, describing it as a “resounding success.”
Prime Minister Marape highlighted the following significant achievements resulting from President Widodo’s visit and discussion this week.
•Signing of a Grant Assistance Agreement worth K55 million for the enhancement of the Intensive Care Unit and the Mortuary at Port Moresby General Hospital.
•Signing of a Grant Assistance Agreement worth K5 million for the West Sepik Integrated Development Project.
•Key Announcement of Mutual Visa Waiver Exemption for Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders by PNG.
•Announcement of the ratification and review of the Basic Border Agreement.
•Announcement of the signing of the Memorandum-of-Understanding (MOU) on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters.
•Announcement of the signing of the MOU on Combating Transnational Crimes.
•Launching of Indonesia’s Citilink flights between Port Moresby and Denpasar.
•Conclusion of the MOU on Higher Education between the two countries.
Prime Minister Marape also announced that Indonesia is opening up its market to agriculture produce, particularly oil palm and livestock, and urged commodity boards and farmers to increase production to meet the huge demand there.
He expressed particular gratitude for the MOU on Higher Education, which entails Indonesia offering scholarships to 2, 000 Papua New Guineans at its universities and colleges.
“In return, Papua New Guinea has pledged to reciprocate this generous support by offering scholarships to PNG students to study in Indonesia on a one-to-one basis.”
“At the onset of our discussions, I emphasized the longstanding partnership between our nations, rooted in our shared land border. As the only nations sharing a land border, it is our responsibility to build the necessary relationships that yield mutually beneficial outcomes. This entails not only focusing on border security but also capitalizing on business, trade, investment, cultural and social issues, supporting economic infrastructure, energy sharing, and agriculture, which are the cornerstones of our economies.
“Papua New Guinea intends to draw inspiration from Indonesia’s economic model as we transition into an industrialized economy through manufacturing, downstream processing, and value-adding. The Inaugural Papua New Guinea-Indonesian Investment Forum serves as a vital mechanism for private sector cooperation, complementing the Government’s development plans and initiatives.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Papua New Guinea, I extend heartfelt gratitude to the Government and people of Indonesia for the grant assistance valued at K60 million, which will be allocated to integrated projects in West Sepik Provinces, especially in Vanimo and Wutung, as well as the upgrading of the Port Moresby General Hospital Intensive Care Unit and Mortuary.”
“In conclusion, I am deeply satisfied with the outcomes of my consultations with President Widodo, and I encourage our ministers, officials, and business community to diligently implement the discussed initiatives and report on their progress accordingly,” Prime Minister Marape said.
