Tuesday 22 October 2024
Prime Minister James Marape during a press conference at APEC Terminal on arrival from Indonesia on Monday 21 October . (photo credit: PM’s Media).
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape was among world and regional leaders who witnessed the inauguration of Indonesia’s incoming leader, President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday 20 October, 2024 in Jakarta.
On his arrival at Jackson’s International Airport APEC VIP Terminal on Monday evening, Prime Minister highlighted the expanding PNG-Indonesian relationship undertaken under the Marape-Widodo administrations that is now affirmed to continue under President Subianto, in a press conference.
He emphasized the exponential growth of Indonesia’s economy which currently sits at nearly $1.5 trillion with Indonesia aggressively pushing this toward a first world nation status by 2045, and Papua New Guinea’s opportunity to capitalize on its proximity to Indonesia.
He said of the inauguration ceremony, “It was quite a colourful and eventful inauguration. We witnessed the 7th president passing on leadership to the 8th president. It was a good transition of leadership that happened.”
“The President-elect spoke on few issues in his address – the need for food and energy security for Indonesia, poverty alleviation for low-income earners and the rural population, moving Indonesia today to a developed nation in the next 20 years, peaceful living and co-existence with neighbours, and the work to entrench democracy in Indonesia.”
The Prime Minister revealed PNG was among a few nations that was allocated time for a bilateral meeting with President Subianto after the inauguration, where the new president spoke on pertinent issues relating to Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
“We affirmed that the work that President Widodo and I started must continue. These are in areas of education, land transport, economic cooperation, trade & investment, oil palm, electricity supply and all other related issues.
“Widodo and I held three bilateral meetings thus far, and a fourth one will be held in Port Moresby.
President Subianto has affirmed this work will not be removed but elevated for our two nations linked by a land border.”
Prime Minister Marape also said the new president has sought his advice in relation to the Melanesian people of West Papua, Indonesia’s eastern province, where the Prime Minister committed to greater autonomy and offered amnesty to law offenders.
“This is the first time for me to see openness on West Papua and whilst it is an Indonesia sovereignty matter, my advice was to give respect to land and their cultural heritage. I commend the offer on amnesty, and PNG will continue to respect Indonesia’s sovereignty.”
Mr Marape reaffirmed his intention to work just as closely with President Subianto in expanding further the areas of trade and investment, especially in business-to-business and people-to-people relations.
“In all areas of discussion, we look forward to working with Indonesia, not just on the border issues, but on people-to-people as a nation that shares land on this side of the world.”
With Indonesia’s direct neighbours, Prime Minister Marape joined the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Prime Minister for Singapore, President of the Philippines, Sultan of Brunei, Prime Minister of Timor Leste, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia.
Others within the vicinity who attended included the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, the Prime Minister of Vanuatu, the Prime Minister of South Korea, the Vice President of China, the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, the Vice President of Thailand, and the Vice President of Vietnam.
United States of America, India, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia were represented by special envoys.