Saturday, February 28, 2015

1) PNG-Indonesia Joint Press Statement

2) First Official Bilateral Meeting, Indonesia Confirmed Its Commitment to Solomon Island
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1) PNG-Indonesia Joint Press Statement
Friday, 27 February 2015


PNG-Indonesia Joint Press Statement on the Outcome of the Meeting Between the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Papua New Guinea and Indonesia

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea,27th February 2015

  
1.The Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia, H. E. Retno L. P. Marsudi, and the Foreign Minister of the Papua New Guinea, Hon. Rimbink Pato, had their first official bilateral meeting in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on 27 February 2015.
2.This was Minister Retno Masurdi's first visit to Papua New Guinea and among her first official bilateral visit since assuming office in October 2014. This reflects the importance and close bilateral relationship between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, as well as Indonesia’s firm commitment to strengthen cooperation, relations and contribution to the development in the Pacific.
3.The two Ministers recognized the strategic importance of the special relationship between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia given the two Countries geographical location and Melanesian cultural background and heritage. They stressed the bilateral relationship between the two countries is based on mutual benefit and mutual respect on territorial integrity.
4.The meeting discussed ways and means to further strengthen cooperation between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia within the framework of the Comprehensive Partnership established in 2013. In this context, the Ministers also agreed to intensify efforts to realize the objectives set out in the 2013 Plan of Action for the Implementation of Comprehensive Partnership, particularly in the areas of economic cooperation, advancing connectivity and people-to-people contact, enhancing border management as well as strengthening cooperation in the areas of capacity building and technical assistance.
5.The two Ministers emphasized on the need to intensify efforts to increase trade, including in border market. While trade from 2009 – 2013 have grown at a rate of 18,73%, the Ministers underlined that there are still ample opportunities to be gain. To this end they will intensify efforts to encourage the private sector to undertake greater cross border trade and investment.
6.In the area of people-to-people contact, the two Ministers agreed to enhance cooperation in youth and sports, education, cultural linkages and among communities in border area. They also discussed efforts to increase cross border tourism and business through greater connectivity by among others enhancing air transport link, road infrastructure in the border area as well visa on arrival.
7.The two Ministers welcomed the planned official launching this year of the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea border plaque and the Border Development Agency/ BDA Office in the Skouw-Wutung border.
8.As part of the realization of Indonesia’s commitment to the US$ 20 million capacity building program for MSGs countries, both Ministers agreed that a technical team will meet this year to further discussed areas in which capacity building program can be directed so as to best contribute to the development of Papua New Guinea. The Foreign Minister of Indonesia also presented a scallop-shell processing machine and a module for the training of SMEs in making seashell-based jewelry to be conducted later this year in Papua New Guinea.
9.On regional issues, Minister Retno Marsudi reaffirm Indonesia’s commitment to support Papua New Guinea’s chairmanship in APEC in 2018, as endorsed by APEC Leaders’ Declaration in Beijing last year.
10.         The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea agreed that as part of Indonesia’s greater engagement in Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), they will intensify communication on issues relating to the MSG. The two Ministers will promote regular consultation, contacts and exchange of visits among Indonesia and MSG Members. The Minister of Foreign Affair of Papua New Guinea also extended an invitation for the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia to attend the Pacific Islands Forum in 7-11 September 2015 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
11.         The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia also paid a courtesy call to the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Hon. Peter O’ Neill. The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea and the Foreign Minister of Indonesia both agreed that over the past few decades, the bilateral relations of both countries have advanced to a sound degree of depth and maturity and that both Governments could now confidently enter into open and frank discussions on any issue, including those that are sensitive to both countries, without adversely impacting on that wholesome relationship of two very close neighboring countries.
12.         Both Leaders underscored the importance for both governments to open communication and reaching common understanding on developments of all bilateral issues in both countries. In this context the Prime Minister welcomed the proposal by Minister Retno Marsudi to intensify open communication between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia as two close neighbors through the establishment of a hotline between the two foreign Ministers.
13.         The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia conveyed to the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea an invitation from the President of The Republic of Indonesia to attend the 60th Commemoration of Asian-African Conference and the 10th Anniversary of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership in Jakarta and Bandung on 19-24 April 2015.
14.         The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to her and the delegation of Indonesia during their visit to Port Moresby.


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2) First Official Bilateral Meeting, Indonesia Confirmed Its Commitment to Solomon Island
Sunday, 01 March 2015

The Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia, H. E. Retno L. P. Marsudi, and the Foreign Minister of Solomon Islands, Hon.Milner Tozaka MP, had their first official bilateral meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands on 28 February 2015.

This was Minister Retno Masurdi's first visit to Solomon Island as part of her first official bilateral visit to the Pacific. Minister Retno Masurdi’s visit to Solomon Island underlines the importance Indonesia places of having a close bilateral relationship with Solomon Islands and reflects its firm commitment to strengthen cooperation, relations and contribution to the development in the Pacific.

The two Ministers recognized as two countries having Melanesian cultural background and heritage building a close bilateral relationship between based on mutual benefit and mutual respect on territorial integrity is of strategic importance.



The meeting discussed ways and means to further strengthen cooperation between Solomon Islands and Indonesia particularly in the area of economics and people-to-people contact particularly through capacity building and technical assistance. They underlined the to expedite the conclusion of a number of MOUs mainly on development cooperation, visa exemption for diplomatic and service passport and cooperation in the area of education.

The two Ministers recognized there are still great untapped potentials in the area of trade between Solomon Islands and Indonesia. They noted that between 2009–2013 trade only grew ate a rate of 6.3% per annum. In this context, they agreed to intensify efforts to encourage the private sector to seize opportunities available in both countries.

In the area of people-to-people contact, the two Ministers welcome the various capacity building and technical cooperation programs that have been undertaken. It was noted that as of 2014 there has been 22 capacity building programs have been undertaken in areas such as education, fisheries, agriculture and SMEs.

As part of the realization of Indonesia’s commitment to the US$ 20 million capacity building program for MSGs countries, both Ministers agreed that a technical team will meet this year to further discussed areas in which capacity building program can be directed so as to best contribute to the development of Solomon Islands. The Foreign Minister of Indonesia also presented a scallop-shell processing machine and a module for the training of SMEs in making seashell-based jewelry to be conducted later this year in Solomon Islands.

On regional issues, the two Ministers agreed that as part of Indonesia’s greater engagement in Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), they will intensify communication on issues relating to the MSG. The two Ministers will also promote regular consultations, contacts and exchange of visits among Indonesia and MSG Members. 

The Minister of Foreign Affair of Solomon Islands also extended an invitation for the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia to attend the MSG meeting as an observer in July 2015 in Solomon Islands.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia also paid a courtesy call to the Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Hon. Douglas Ete. They discussed developments of bilateral and regional issues.The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia informed to Deputy Prime Minister of Solomon Islands the invitation of the President of The Republic of Indonesia to the PM of Solomon Islands to attend the 60th Commemoration of Asian-African Conference and the 10th Anniversary of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership in Jakarta and Bandung on 19-24 April 2015. 

1) Investment board sets high investment target for Papua, West Papua

2) Papua Projects Get Needed Push
3) DPRP Commission Finds 16 Tons of Illegal Plywood
4) Military Ready to Build West Papua Regional Military Command Headquarters, says Army Chief
5) Jayawijaya Government to Spend Rp 34 Billion to Build Potikelek Market
6) Freeport Allocates Rp 28.7 Trillion to Build Smelter

7) Jayawijaya Students Dig in Their Heels over Mobile Brigade Headquarters
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http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/97931/investment-board-sets-high-investment-target-for-papua-west-papua

1) Investment board sets high investment target for Papua, West Papua

Minggu, 1 Maret 2015 00:17 WIB | 401 Views
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) sets a high investment target of Rp265 trillion in Papua and West Papua for the next five years.

The target rose from the total investment of Rp67 trillion in the countrys most backward regions in the previous five years ending in 2014, head of BKPM Franky Sibaranai said here on Saturday.

"I am optimistic the target would be achieved as investment plans in Papua and West Papua are high," Franky said.

Based on BKPMs record in the period of 2010-2014, only 40 percent of investment plans were implemented in the two provinces.

"That means Rp98.8 trillion worth of investments were nor implemented because of a number of factors," he said.

He said BKPM would facilitate the investment plans, adding a number of new investments and expansion plans have been proposed.

Under the middle term development plan of 2015-2019, the government sets economic growth target at 14.1 percent in 2015 and 17.7 percent in 2019 in Papua, he said.

Meanwhile, poverty rate in the province is to be cut to 30.9 percent in 2015 and to 21.5 percent in 2019, and unemployment rate to be slashed from 3.4 percent in 2015 to 2.8 percent in 2019.

In West Papua, economic growth target is set at 7.9 percent in 2015 and 16.9 percent in 2019, the poverty rate is to be cut to 25.6 percent in 2015 and to 17.4 percent in 2019; and unemployment rate from 5.1 percent in 2015 to 4.1 percent in 2019.

"BKPM has calculated that in order to achieve the middle term development plan target in Papua, investment has to be increased to 7.4 percent of the national target of Rp3,500 trillion for 2015-2019," he said.

He said in 2015, the investment target in the two provinces is set at Rp33.2 trillion.

He said in order to achieve the target, BKPM would launch an investment promotion for Papua and West Papua starting in June.

BKPM already formed a team to accompany investors wanting to invest in Papua and West Papua, he said.

"We will work together with the regional administrations including district administrations to cope with possible hurdles hampering investment. At least we will encourage realization of plan to build four economic zones in Papua and West Papua including in Merauke, Sorong, Teluk Bintuni and Raja Ampat," he said.

He said the four areas have potential sectors to be developed.

The Merauke economic zone is potential for development of agricultural sector and farm based processing industry, Sorong economic zone is potential for development of maritime sector and processing industry, Teluk Bintuni is potential for development of smelter and petrochemical industry and Raja Ampat economic zone is potential for tourism industry, he said.(*)
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http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/business/papua-projects-get-needed-push/

2) Papua Projects Get Needed Push

By Tabita Diela on 09:53 pm Feb 27, 2015
Category BusinessEconomy
A manta ray swims in the waters of Raja Ampat in eastern Indonesia's remote Papua province. (AFP Photo)
Jakarta. Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board, or BKPM, has vowed to accelerate land clearing and power generation permits to support nine investment projects worth a combined $1.3 billion in Papua’s Special Economic Zones.
The projects — consisting of fishery, plantation and petrochemical developments in Merauke, Sorong, Teluk Bintuni and Raja Ampat — have been on hold for several years, due to land clearing issues and a lack power supply, Franky Sibarani, the BKPM chairman, said on Friday.

“One of the requirements to develop the Special Economic Zones is the availability of investors who are ready to place their investment,” he said in a statement in Jakarta.
“Currently the four Special Zones in Papua and West Papua have potential investors who have planned to invest but are still hampered in realization.”
Franky said the Indonesian government had long identified Papua and West Papua provinces as a priority for development, meaning the government will direct investors to develop the area before investing in other parts of Indonesia.
Franky noted that five investors had shown serious interest in investing a total Rp 9.8 trillion ($754 million) in the plantation sector and Rp 2.4 trillion in the oleochemical sector in Papua between October 2014 and February this year.
Foreign investment in Papua and West Papua in 2014 amounted to $1.41 billion, lower than 2013’s $2.41 billion.

Investment flowed into the mining sector, agriculture, food industry, storage, telecomunications and energy.
Indonesia saw foreign direct investment across all sectors, except oil and gas and banking, rise 14 percent to Rp 307 trillion up from Rp 270.4 trillion a year earlier.
The BKPM expects FDI — which accounts for about two-thirds of last year’s total investment — to grow to Rp 320 trillion this year.
GlobeAsia


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http://tabloidjubi.com/en/?p=3906

3) DPRP Commission Finds 16 Tons of Illegal Plywood

Jayapura, Jubi – Members of Commission IV of the Papua Legislative Council ( DPRP) have seen 16 tons of plywood confiscated by the Natural Resources Conservation Agency od Papua (BKSDA).
Chairman of Commission IV of DPRP, Boy Mark Dawir said the councillors conducted a snap inspection at BKSDA office on Tuesday morning (2/24).
“There are four plywood counters which is approximately 16 tons of plywood. We will then immediately report to the chairman of DPRP to follow up including to form the Working Committee (Panja) or Special Committee of forest management in Papua, ” Boy Dawir said on Tuesday (24/02/2015).
He said on DPRP chairman approval, the commission would form the committee and work immediately to tackle massive illegal logging in Papua including in Jayapura, Nabire, Paniai, Mamberamo Raya, Sarmi, and Merauke.
“Our authority is only on the issue of forest and mining. We also agree to push for a legal process to any one who back up on illegal logging,” he added.
He said he hoped all parties to keep the forests in Papua well and for any company who run timber business to obey the procedure and should not harm lives of indigenous peoples.
Chairman of Commission II of DPRP, Deerd Tabuni urged police to oversee illegal logging in Papua, especially in Keerom. He said, many trucks and containers transported timbers from Keerom to Jayapura port and it should be noted. And suspected. (Arjuna Pademme/Tina)
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4) Military Ready to Build West Papua Regional Military Command Headquarters, says Army Chief

Jayapura, Jubi/Antara – Army Chief General Gatot Nurmantyo said the Indonesian military is ready to build the West Military Regional Military Command Headquarter in Manokwari.
“Currently we are preparing the location to build the West Papua Regional Military Command Headquarters,” he said after giving a speech to the participants of KNPI 14th Congress in Jayapura on Wednesday (25/2). He said if the location was ready, the military will immediately build the headquarters.
When asked about the preparation progress, he told reporters to ask the question directly to the Cenderawasih Regional Military Commander Major General Fransen Siahaan who accompanied him at the time. And the Commander Siahaan answered that currently the location has been ready.
“The West Papua Regional Military Command Headquarter will be completed within 2015,” he said.
The Army Chief General Gatot Nurmantyo stayed in Jayapura for three days and he returned to Jakarta after giving speech.
The KNPI 14th Congress was opened by the Youth and Sport Minister Imam Nahrawi and would be held from 26 to 28 Februari 2015 in Jayapura. (*/Rom)
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5) Jayawijaya Government to Spend Rp 34 Billion to Build Potikelek Market

Wamena, Jubi – Potikelek traditional market intended for Papuan was inaugurated by Jayawijaya regent Wempi Wetipo on Tuesday (24/02).
The aim to build the market is to protect and increase the economy of native Papuans.
Based on data from the Department of Industry and Trade, the market cost Rp. 34 billion to build and took four years to finish, Wetipo said.
“We spent Rp. 34 billion. There are still more concrete actions that we want to do for the people,” Wetipo told reporters.
The regent also would like to thank women traders who compete for economic development in Jayawijaya with people from outside Papua.
“Actually mama–mama have helped economy in Jayawijaya. Therefore, the Industry and Trade department will record them in order to provide capital to build a better economic future,” he added. (Islami/ Tina)
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6) Freeport Allocates Rp 28.7 Trillion to Build Smelter

Jakarta, Jubi/CNN Indonesia – PT Freeport Indonesia will allocate US$ 2.3 billion or 28.75 trillion rupiahs to build a smelter required by the Indonesian government.
“Freeport wants to finance the construction of smelter. It will become a legal entity in this project,” the Director General of Mining and Coal Department of Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, R. Sukhyar in Jakarta on Tuesday (24/02/2015).
Sukhyar said Freeport will build a national copper smelter at Gresik, East Java by renting a land area of 80 hectares from PT. Petrokimia Gresik.
The US-based company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with PT. Petrokimia in last January. “We will ask Freeport to present it on Friday,” he said.
The national copper smelter will have a capacity to accommodate two tones of copper concentrates. Further Sukhyar explained it was part of the implementation of Mining and Coal Law No. 4/2009 in order to improve the value of national mineral commodities. In addition, it also will increase the production value of processing concentrates done by the PT. Smelting that previously able to accommodate 1.2 tones of copper concentrates.
“We also will build a smelter in Papua with a capacity of 900 thousand tones of copper concentrates,” he said.
About the agreement on the national copper smelter, four copper contracted companies namely PT Freeport Indonesia, PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara, PT Gorontalo Mineral and PT Kalimantan Surya Kencana agreed to sign the agreement since last year. With the certain financing agreement by Freeport, Sukhyar said the three other companies would supply the copper concentrates to the smelter.
“But we don’t have any information about how much concentrates would be supplied by the three companies,” he said. (*/Rom)
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7) Jayawijaya Students Dig in Their Heels over Mobile Brigade Headquarters

Jayapura, Jubi – Jayawijaya students reiterated their opposition to the government’s plan to build the Mobile Brigade police headquarters in Wamena, due to start next March.
“We reject the plan from the beginning. Until now we are consistent about,” Soleman Itlay, who represents students from the Jayawijaya Student Association (HMPJ) and the Papuan Youth and Student Solidarity.
“The regent’s statement to media about the landowners’ acceptance was not making sense. It’s not true. The reality is people in Jayawijaya’s 40 sub-districts have rejected the plan,” Itlay told reporters in Abepura on Wednesday (25/2).
The regent must stop driving people to accept something that is actually rejected by people, he said. “Because it looks like it only serves the interests of the political elites.”
“Please do not sacrifice the people. The elites must stop playing their awful politics. We recognize their strategy to split the province and create Wamena Municipality. We saw there is a political game played by local and provincial elites. So we asked them to stop,” a Wamena origin student Benyamin Lagowan said.
Meanwhile the HMPJ’s representative Alius Himan said,” From the beginning we have rejected the plan to build the Mobile Brigade Headquarter. We need to clarify that those who said acting on behalf of HPMJ were not our members. It was not true. The HMPJ never approved their action. They are the regent’s closest supporters,” Himan said.
Further a student activist Niko Seledak said those who acted on behalf of the tribal chiefs from several sub-districts and met with the Papua Police Headquarter to voice their support were actually doing it for fame and money. “They are not the tribal chiefs nor customary landowners. They just came for fame and money,” he said.
Further he said the Jayawijaya Regent should be aware that Wamena people are still experiencing a severe traumatic due to the military operations since 1977 to the present time. People still think that the military or police officers as bad guys. So the regent must understand what they have been though in Wamena. (Arnold Belau/Rom)
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