Among issues that were discussed includes that on West Papua, border security, people-to-people and economic relations, focusing more on enhancing trade relations between PNG and Indonesia.

Indonesia pledged new aid for Papua New Guinea during a visit by President Joko Widodo to the Pacific island country and promised to boost border trade.

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape said Indonesia would contribute 55 million kina ($15 million) to upgrading a Port Moresby hospital, including its chronically overcrowded mortuary.

A Mutual Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Higher Education was signed by Minister for Higher Education, Hon. Don Poliye, MP and the Indonesian Foreign Minister Ms. Retno Marsudi in which Indonesia would provide 2,000 scholarships to PNG Students for study at its colleges and universities.

“We are the closest of neighbors and we haven’t been able to build a trade and investment relationship over the last 48 years [since Papua New Guinea gained independence],” Maru told the business forum. “It is the time to talk about a new future.”

“We are deeply honored to host President Widodo, especially considering Indonesia’s remarkable position as the 16th-largest economy in the world with a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of US$1.392 trillion and the 7th-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP) GDP of US$4.398 trillion. We are privileged to have such an economic giant as our neighbor,” Prime Minister Marape remarked.

He further emphasised the significance of President Widodo’s monumental visit, which focused not only on government-to-government matters but also on the core objectives of Marape’s Pangu Pati: fostering economic growth and enhancing commerce and trade relations.

PNG’s Goovernor General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae also met with President of Indonesia Joko Widodo at Government House. President Widodo paid a courtesy call on the Governor General shortly after his arrival in Port Moresby.