The people of Central Papua are expecting this airport to greatly benefit the province
Jayapura (ANTARA) - The Douw Aturure Airport, recently inaugurated by President Joko Widodo, would help Central Papua Province draw more investment to boost its economy, according to the province's acting regional secretary, Anwar Harun Damanik.

In a press release received in Jayapura, Papua, on Friday, Damanik expressed belief that the airport, situated in Nabire District, would bring plenty of new opportunities to the province, including attracting business actors to come to invest in local tourism destinations.

"The people of Central Papua are expecting this airport to greatly benefit the province and help realize a Central Papua that prospers in the economic and tourism sectors," he affirmed.

Damanik further expressed optimism about the airport properly connecting Nabire with Jayapura, Timika, Manokwari, and other regions in Indonesia's Papua territory.

"We hope that in the future, regional governments will work together and implement regulations concerning the utilization of the airport, with the aim of optimizing regional potentials," he stated.

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Meanwhile, Head of the Nabire Airport Management Unit, Setyani Mahendra, remarked that the airport's runway, currently stretching 1,600 meters, will be further expanded to 2,600 meters.

"Currently, the airport's runway can only accommodate ATR-type air planes, much like the older airport. However, the safety of this new airport is at a higher level," Mahendra noted.

Earlier, President Widodo personally launched the Douw Aturure Airport in Wanggar, Nabire District, Central Papua, on November 23.

"Siboru Airport and Douw Aturure Airport, which we inaugurated today, will enhance connectivity in Papua, bolster people's and goods' mobility, and open up many opportunities to trigger the growth of new economies and new businesses," he remarked during the inauguration.

Widodo expressed belief that the Douw Aturure Airport would boost connectivity between Nabire District and several regions in Papua.

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Translator: Qadri Pratiwi, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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