Thelandofpapua– In a recent public lecture, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to advancing development in Papua, highlighting the persistent challenges in achieving equitable human development across Indonesia, particularly in remote areas like Papua. The Vice President’s remarks were made during a session with participants of PPRA LXVI and PPRA LXVII Lemhanas RI, streamed via the Vice President’s YouTube channel on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.

“Regions in eastern Indonesia, especially Papua, still face limited access to education, healthcare services, and economic disparities,” Ma’ruf emphasized. He stressed the government’s dedication to accelerating development and broadening access to essential services for the people of Papua, aiming to address these critical issues.

As part of these efforts, the government has established a Papua steering body to coordinate development initiatives in alignment with the master plan for accelerating Papua’s development. This plan, unveiled in Sorong last month, involves the active participation of indigenous Papuans and focuses on education, healthcare, economic empowerment of local communities, and security, ensuring tangible benefits for the region.

“These programs are expected to reduce disparities between regions in Indonesia and enhance national economic growth,” Ma’ruf stated.

The Vice President assured that the government will persist in implementing programs to develop educational, healthcare, and economic infrastructure in Papua and other remote regions. He acknowledged the complex challenges Indonesia currently faces, including global geopolitical uncertainty, climate change, health threats impacting food and energy security, and cyber security risks, all of which have significant implications for national resilience.

“The government will continue to ensure that the programs for developing educational, healthcare, and economic infrastructure are continued so that their benefits can be felt by all levels of society,” Ma’ruf affirmed.

This renewed focus on Papua underscores the government’s commitment to fostering inclusive growth and addressing longstanding disparities, with a vision of a more equitable and prosperous Indonesia.