Jokowi Sends Trade Mission to Papua New Guinea after Meeting PM James Marape

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo today, March 31, met the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape at Bogor Palace, West Java. After the bilateral meeting, he issued an assignment for a number of ministers along with delegations from the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN).

“To carry out a trade and investment mission in PNG (Papua New Guinea) in the near future,” said the President at a press conference along with James, Thursday, March 30.

The assignment was given following the launching of a feasibility study for the establishment of a preferential trade agreement between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.  

According to Jokowi, the bilateral investment deal is highly necessary “to facilitate and provide security for investors of both countries.”

In front of James, the state head also claimed readiness to reopen the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border which had been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to restore cross-border trade and revive the economy of people living in border areas.

The border reopening was initiated in the midst of rising economic activity between the two countries, even during the lingering pandemic. Indonesia, he added, welcomed the increase in trade between the two countries in 2021, which rose by 87 percent compared to the previous year.

This figure, said Jokowi, was also higher than the trade value before the pandemic. “This presents hope and optimism for the post-pandemic economic recovery and I believe there are still many opportunities that can be improved,” he said.

Read: Indonesia-Papua New Guinea Border Trade Reopens Post Restriction

FAJAR PEBRIANTO