Slug://connectivity-accessibility-west-papua
Presidential Instruction No. 9 Of 2020 On The Acceleration Of Welfare Development In Papua And West Papua Is an Inseparable Part Of the Economic Strengthening Program.
The development in the eastern regions of Indonesia is considered to be the slowest. Recently, the Indonesian government has widened its focus to the east. The Vice president’s secretariat arranged a discussion on infrastructure development in West Papua and Papua.
The discussion aimed at understanding the evaluation of the progress and the planned and in-progress programs run by the government and relevant stakeholders in connectivity infrastructure, as well as obtaining input for a long-term plan for proper infrastructure development in the region.
The discussion was started by quoting Presidential Instruction no. 9 of 2020 on the Acceleration of Welfare Development in Papua and West Papua. It was stated that the instruction was an inseparable part of the economic strengthening program that the government has run since the end of 2014.
Infrastructure development will allow the economic supply chain to run well. Infrastructure will become a medium that bridges people and the main public facilities supporting the health and education sectors.
The government elaborated on sea tolls, airbridges, and multi-mode connectivity programs. The priority agenda of the Ministry of Transportation was the regulation of transportation infrastructure development in frontier, outermost, and underdeveloped regions in 2020-2024. The program targeted economic growth in the region to reach 7.8% and reduced the poverty rate to only 19%.
Ministry of Public Works and Housing
The Ministry of Public Works and Housing is committed to developing reliable infrastructure in the eastern regions. The ministry allocated IDR6.19 trillion for public works and housing infrastructures, IDR732.87 billion for water resources, IDR4.49 trillion for roads and bridges, IDR683.03 billion for settlement, and IDR288.35 billion for housing. Based on the current data, the progress of infrastructure development in Papua in the Fiscal Year 2021 was 37.95%.
Meanwhile, for West Papua, the ministry allocated IDR543.27 billion for water resources, IDR2.66 trillion for roads and bridges, IDR312.23 billion for settlement, and IDR228.83 billion for housing. Based on the latest data, the progress of infrastructure development in the region in the Fiscal Year 2021 was 44.09%.
The Indonesian government is committed to eradicating isolation and increasing access and connectivity by developing the Trans Papua road with a total of 3,462 kilometers long. Of the total length, the project was halfway finished.
For human resources capacity development, the ministry built 179 schools and religious places, 1 public university, and 8 sports centers in Papua. In addition, the ministry held construction service training involving working partners selected from indigenous people of Papua and West Papua.
The Establishment of Siboru Airport
The construction of airports in Papua continued to increase transportation accessibility and strengthen connectivity in Indonesia. This is to connect the western and eastern regions of Indonesia.
The scope of airport establishment consists of constructing land and air facilities. Besides, the development of Siboru airport which is also called Jacob Patipi airport was designed to replace the existing Torea Airport which can no longer be expanded.
The airport was constructed on an area of 208 hectares. It was planned to finish and officially launched in November 2022. Therefore, the West Papua government wished that the central government would give support so the facility could get done on time. But, difficult access to the airport posed a threat.
The Committee for Acceleration of Priority Infrastructure Delivery helped remove the threat by establishing access to the airport and repairing existing roads that were severely damaged. It is to prove that the committee fully supports the program of accelerating development in the eastern regions of Indonesia.
Secretary Asdep Suroto stated that the committee would help facilitate communication with the Fakfak government by holding coordination meetings. The meeting would involve National Land Agency (BPN), Forest Area Stabilization Center (BPKH), Attorney General’s Office, the West Papua government, and relevant ministries and institutions.
