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Learning The Vision Of West Papua Economic Potential Through Sorong, PON XX, And MP3EI

What comes to your mind when talking about Papua? Most of the time, people will highlight nature and biodiversity. However, Papua and West Papua also have huge economic potentials. Sorong is the hub that brings a lot of money for the region. And so does PON XX. There is also MP3EI that pinpoints the region’s development. So, how good are the potentials?

Sorong As The Economic Empowerment

Starting with Sorong, the largest city located in the western part of Papua. The city has a huge potential for economic resurrection in the region. Not to mention how vast and rich the surrounding areas are. Sorong will be the strategic hub and economic center that bring the potential for the region altogether.

You can see it from the potential of industry, service, trade, and infrastructure growth. The expansion also includes the possibilities as a part of the regional frontiers, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Moluccas Islands, and the Philippines. Thus, it is an understatement that the city could not help increase the region’s economic potential.

Given the strategic location, the city can handle deliberate trade from the national to an international transaction. It also has the eastern region port of Sorong and the first west Papua airport, Domine Eduard. So, the city deserves its name as the gateway to the province. Not only that, but the location also has opportunities to expand its maritime connectivity.

It will bring huge income to the region and increase the economic situation in the area. For more, potential economic increase also appears from commodities, eco-tourism, conservation places, and traditional tourism destinations. Therefore, Sorong can turn into powerful economic empowerment for Papua or western Papua. 

MP3EI in Papua As A Huge Government Plan For Economic Development

MP3EI masterplan Percepatan dan Perluasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Indonesia or translated as a masterplan for the Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesia Economic Development is a national-level plan to speed growth in Indonesia. The plan encloses 22 potential economic activities in different sectors, such as mine, oil palm, tourism, etc.

To include Papua as part of the plan, the government highlighted Papua and Maluku archipelago centers to focus on the food, fisheries, energy, and national mining. Indonesia’s investment in West Papua, Papua, and Maluku in MP3EI reached a whooping number of IDR 622 Trillion. The investment was later divided into seven economic centers known as the Papua-Maluku corridor.

The plan also includes the requirement to support the construction of a trans-Papua road. It also embraces the expansion of roads, airports, ports, coal-fired power plants, and many more. All go to the same goal to grow economic empowerment. The plan also includes the case of increasing oil, gas, and copper production in Papua.

The plan highlights more value through downstream processing. It indicates three new copper smelters planned in the future. The Timika copper industrial park also covers several infrastructure expansions such as road access, ports, and amended regulations. The master plan will help encourage the economy and infrastructure growth simultaneously.

PON XX Help Moving The Economy In Papua

PON XX Papua, Perjuangan Terakhir Tiga Serangkai Seni Gerak Tarung Derajat  Asal Jabar

Aside from the big planning from the government that is still far from fully materialized, there are some other potentials made through 2020-2021. Papua has gained more recognition, income, and economic movement through the Papuan National Sports Week (PON) 2020. The event is not only focused on West Papua but also Papua as one huge region.

The economic potentials come from the development and invitation to the region itself. Huge investment has been injected into the event, including the construction of supporting infrastructures, venues, and the arrival of thousands of athletes to the region. The event will eventually increase and help drive the economic force in Papua.

The PON Papua is also predicted to be the center of socio-economic activities for indigenous communities. A total of 21,687 people involving officials, athletes, or guests will come and spread across Timika, Jayapura, and Merauke, Mimika, and many more. Papua’s economic activities predicted an increase in Papuas GRDP to 1.10 percent.

That number also has a positive impact that is looked over by higher ups. The BI Papua representation highlights the construction sector booster that appears as the competition arena and infrastructure. The growth and development also comprise ranges of various venues that contribute to Papua’s GRDP about 2 percent.

For more, Papua and West Papua will get a huge boost in many growths and economic movements from different sectors. The biggest one should be on the accommodation, food, and beverages. Followed by the construction sector, and lastly is the transportation segment. The potential economic growth will portray the accouterment of non-mining sectors.  

The implication that Papua or the Western Papua has been lacking or left behind, is not truly real. Some points show how many development efforts have been going on. At the same time, Sorong, PON XX, and MP3EI have been the proof of how economic potential in Papua keeps increasing. That indicates the growing effort in the eastern part of Indonesia.