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Showing posts with label Vanuatu Foreign Minister. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vanuatu Foreign Minister. Show all posts

Indonesia creates new committee on Papua after talks with Vanuatu

Joint talks between Vanuatu and Indonesia have taken place in Jakarta with West Papua high on the agenda

It comes amidst tensions in the region, and ahead of a state visit next month to Papua New Guinea by Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Indonesia's state-owned news agency Antara reports Vice President Ma'ruf Amin met with Vanuatu's Deputy Prime Minister Jotham Napat in Jakarta on Monday.

Vanuatu has strongly supported the separatist push in West Papua for many years and Antara reports the issue of conflict in the province was discussed.

Amin announced a Papua Special Autonomy Development Acceleration Steering Committee had been formed to evaluate development in the Papua region.

"The granting of this special autonomy has been planned for the long term up to 2042," he said.

Amin said Indonesia respects the diversity in West Papua.

"I want to emphasise that the welfare approach will continue to become the main priority by respecting diversity and based on the principles of fairness, equity, and sustainability. The settlement of security issues is also done through a comprehensive approach," he said.

The Vice President said Indonesia is also ready to serve as a gateway for Vanuatu to enter the ASEAN market.

Vanuatu is hoping to forge a technical cooperation agreement as well as establish sister city and provincial partnerships.

At Monday's meeting, Napat 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.

Napat also echoed his country's keenness to forge a 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.

Support for West Papua cause always important to Vanuatu

The plight of West Papuans as Melanesian citizens is an important issue that Vanuatu must continue to support.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and External Trade, Ralph Regenvanu, made this clear in his keynote address yesterday to all Vanuatu’s Heads of Missions (HOM) who are currently in the capital for the 3-day 8th HOM meeting.

“The human rights violation and marginalization of Melanesian West Papuans is not a secret and we must continue to advocate for appropriate international attention to this situation,”

he said.

“The incredible show of Pacific Island solidarity is a landmark moment in the West Papuan struggle for self-determination.”

The minister reflected that when he attended the 49th Forum Leaders Meeting in Nauru with Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, new priority regional policies were adopted by Leaders.

These include regional security, climate change and disaster resilience, fisheries and oceans, childhood obesity and non-communicable diseases, and West Papua.

It is anticipated that these issues will also form the basis for discussions at this year’s Forum.

news@dailypost.vu

Source: VDP



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