REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BIAK -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) left Frans Kaiseipo Airport, Biak Island, West Papua Province, for Papua New Guinea (PNG) for a two-day state visit, on Monday.
The head of state was accompanied by First Lady Iriana Jokowi and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Tedjo Edy Purdjianto.
"Many things will be discussed. The details will be known when we arrive there," Jokowi told the press in Biak.
Before leaving for PNG, President Jokowi distributed some Indonesian Health Cards (KIS) to inhabitants of Manokwari.
Earlier, Jokowi was on five-day working visits that took him to the provinces of Maluku, North Maluku, Papua and West Papua.
Technical cooperation between Indonesia and the Pacific countries was also discussed. While such cooperation already exists, Indonesia seeks to enhance it, having already provided US$20 million worth of assistance in this area.
In late February 2015, Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno LP Marsudi visited PNG, which shares a land border with Indonesia's Papua Province.
Minister Marsudi and PNG Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato, in their bilateral meeting on Feb. 27, discussed ways and means to further strengthen cooperation between PNG and Indonesia within the framework of the Comprehensive Partnership established in 2013.
The two ministers emphasized the need to intensify efforts to increase trade, including in the border market.
Although bilateral trade grew at a rate of 18.73 percent between 2009 and 2013, the ministers stressed that there are still ample opportunities to be explored. To this end, they will intensify efforts to encourage the private sector to undertake greater cross-border trade and investment.
They also discussed efforts to increase cross-border tourism and business through greater connectivity by enhancing the air transport link, improving the road infrastructure in the border area, and providing visas on arrival.
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