Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Armanatha Nasir held a series of bilateral meetings with top government executives of countries under the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) on the sidelines of the Group’s Ministerial Meeting on Thursday, November 29, 2024.
“The meetings were aimed at reiterating the commitment of President Prabowo Subianto to strengthen relations with MSG countries through concrete collaboration to answer the need of community development in the Pacific region,” Armanatha said as quoted in a statement on Monday, December 2, 2024.
The measure is a follow-up of President Prabowo’s meetings with Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape, Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Salwai, and Solomon Island Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele who attended the inauguration of Indonesia president on October 2024 in Jakarta. The focus of the cooperations include development cooperation, health, education and climate change mitigation.
In a discussion with PNG Foreign Secretary Elias Wongehu, Armanatha reiterated the importance of exploring the opening of wider market access for featured products such as vanilla and cacao. Both parties also agreed to accelerate the implementation of joint feasibility study to boost trade volume.
In a meeting with Special Envoy of Fiji Prime Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, the Indonesian deputy foreign minister highlighted a momentum of commemoration of 50 years of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Fiji. The commitment to strengthen development cooperation and economy become focus, including the settelement of Preferential Trade Agremeent between the two countries.
During his visit to Vanuatu capital of Port Vila, Deputy minister Armanatha met with Health Minister Barthelemy Marcellino, Education Minister Jhonson Simil and Agriculture Minister Jotham Napat.
In general, Vanuatu appreciated Indonesia’s positive welcome on the visit of Prime Minister Charlot Sawai to Jakarta and the visit of dr Wahidin Sudirohusodo hospital ship to Port Vila in early November 2024. The mission of the Indonesian Navy hospital ship was to provide healthcare for more than 335 Vanuatu citizens and medical aid for the Vanuatu government.
Armanatha reiterated President Prabowo’s commitment to increase Indonesia-Vanuatu cooperation in various priority sectors, including strengthening health system in Vanuatu through increasing capacity of medical workers; strengthening education system in Vanuatu through teachers’ exchange and vocational education system development; increasing economic cooperation by opening wider market access for Vanuatu products in Indonesia; and strengthening law enforcement system in Vanuatu through police training.
Collaboration opportunity
Finally, in the meeting with Director General of MSG Leonard Louma, Armanatha reiterated Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening the capacity of MSG secretariat staff through training in Indonesia and exploring collaboration opportunity with ASEAN.
He also conveyed Indonesia’s commitment to increase support for MSG in development sectors.
“The collaboration proposed including diplomatic training, climate change adaptation program, and the cultivation of seaweed and tilapia fish in order to give direct benefit for the people of MSG countries,” Armanatha said.
