The Indonesian National Border Management Agency supports strengthening cooperation between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea by discussing the provision of electricity supplies for the people of Wutung, Papua New Guinea.
The Director General of Regional Administration Development of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Safrizal Zakaria Ali, explained that the Indonesian Government remains committed to finding the best solution that not only takes into account economic aspects, but also the strategic relationship between the two countries.
"We will forward the results of this discussion to higher authorities. If there are tariff differences that require special policies, they must be addressed through mechanisms in accordance with regulations.
This was conveyed in the Bilateral Consultation between the Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia and the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture of the Independent State of Papua.
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The meeting also served as an opportunity for delegates from both countries to continue discussions begun in 2024 regarding an electricity tariff scheme for the Wutung community.
The meeting was also attended by the Papua New Guinea Delegation and the Assistant Deputy for Physical Infrastructure of the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPP), Amrullah M. Ridha, as a form of government support for strengthening the development of border areas.
The delegations from both countries also discussed a new proposal from Papua New Guinea regarding tariff adjustments, which will be the subject of further discussions in refining the draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
He said the Indonesian government's concern for the Wutung community has been demonstrated through the development of electricity infrastructure to border areas.
In fact, in 2024, the two parties agreed on a tariff of 20 US cents per kilowatt, with a grant from the Indonesian government to cover the cost difference. However, implementation of the agreement was delayed after Papua New Guinea proposed a new tariff.
