"Bappenas has invited us to discuss and consult on plans for national development efforts in Papua," committee chair Velix Wanggai noted in a statement received by ANTARA in Jayapura, Papua Province, on Tuesday.
He described the meeting, held in Jakarta on Monday (Jan. 19), as a strategic forum for the central and local governments to align their policies, programs, budgets, and development plans.
"We and the ministry have concurred on the importance of synchronizing views on Papua's contributions to national development targets, including economic growth, as well as efforts aimed at reducing disparities between Indonesia's eastern and western regions," Wanggai added.
The committee, he continued, deems it crucial for stakeholders to ensure that measures to accelerate development in Papua do not come at the expense of environmental sustainability or the social ecosystem of local communities.
"We are eager to further strengthen coordination and communication with Bappenas to align visions, steps, and policies in pursuit of sustainable and fair development in Papua," he said.
Meanwhile, committee member Police Commissioner Gen. (Retd.) Paulus Waterpauw said the meeting with Bappenas covered major obstacles hindering Papua’s progress, most notably persistent extreme poverty.
"Together with Bappenas, we exchanged views to identify the primary problems faced by Papua, including extreme poverty, which is reflected in the low income of Papuan people," he said.
On that note, the former Papua Police chief emphasized the urgency of focusing development initiatives on poverty alleviation, as he believes the issue could lead to social and even security problems.
Waterpauw added that the committee and Bappenas also discussed efforts to address Papua's low score in the Human Development Index.
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Translator: Ardiles L, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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