Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin receives the visit of Deputy Prime Minister of Vanuatu Jotham Napat Nauka at the Vice President's Palace in Jakarta on June 19, 2023. (Photo: antaranews.com)
Speaking at the meeting, the vice president encouraged bilateral relations that are mutually beneficial and mutuallyrespectful, especially towards each other's sovereignty and territorialintegrity.
He noted that apart fromintensifying cooperation in development and the economy, Indonesia is alsoready to serve as a gateway for Vanuatu to enter the ASEAN market.
He also highlighted efforts by the Indonesian Government to achieve welfare equality among people,including Papua's residents.
The vice president statedthat development in Papua is conducted by paying respect to the diversitythat exists there.
Amin said the Papua SpecialAutonomy Development Acceleration Steering Committee (BP3OKP) has also beenformed with the task and authority of implementing and evaluating the developmentacceleration programme in Papua. The granting of this special autonomy hasbeen planned for the long term up to 2042.
For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Nauka stated that his visit to Indonesia is afundamental step to recover trust and to express eagerness to build soundcooperation between Vanuatu and Indonesia.
Nauka also stressed his country's keenness to forge technicalcooperation agreement between both nations as well as to establish sister cityand sister province partnership that he said can be started with PapuaProvince.
Earlier on June 16, Indonesian Foreign AffairsMinister Retno Marsudi said that Vanuatu is considering opening an embassy inIndonesia as the two countries explore ways to strengthen bilateral ties.
According to Retno, Indonesia and Vanuatu aredrafting an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and service passportholders. The two sides also discussed the possibility of hosting an annualconsultation meeting in a bid to bolster bilateral ties.
In May, Indonesia delivered over 512,820 USD worthof humanitarian aid to help Vanuatu, which suffered from a 6.5-magnitudeearthquake and intense tropical cyclones back in March, repair VIP room of theairport in its capital Port Vila./.
