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 mutually respectful, especially towards each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He noted that apart from intensifying cooperation in development and the economy, Indonesia is also ready 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 stated that development in Papua is conducted by paying respect to the diversity that exists there.
Amin said the Papua Special Autonomy Development Acceleration Steering Committee (BP3OKP) has also been formed with the task and authority of implementing and evaluating the development acceleration programme in Papua. The granting of this special autonomy has been planned for the long term up to 2042.
For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Nauka stated that his visit to Indonesia is a fundamental step to recover trust and to express eagerness to build sound cooperation between Vanuatu and Indonesia.
Nauka also stressed his country's keenness to forge technical cooperation agreement between both nations as well as to establish sister city and sister province partnership that he said can be started with Papua Province.
Earlier on June 16, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said that Vanuatu is considering opening an embassy in Indonesia as the two countries explore ways to strengthen bilateral ties.
According to Retno, Indonesia and Vanuatu are drafting an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and service passport holders. The two sides also discussed the possibility of hosting an annual consultation meeting in a bid to bolster bilateral ties.
In May, Indonesia delivered over 512,820 USD worth of humanitarian aid to help Vanuatu, which suffered from a 6.5-magnitude earthquake and intense tropical cyclones back in March, repair VIP room of the airport in its capital Port Vila./.
