Green investment initiative for Papua (West Papua and Papua Provinces)
Green investment is currently considered to be channeled to the two easternmost provinces in Indonesia, namely Papua and West Papua. The environmentally friendly investment concept that is now being thoroughly studied by the government of Indonesia. Stakeholders agree that the investments are suitable to be applied in Papua and West Papua, which have abundant natural resources and conservation areas.
The initiative surfaced at the High-Level Meeting Forum on Green Investment for Papua and West Papua which took place in Sorong City — West Papua, Thursday night February 27, 2020, as reported by various media (Antaranews, KabarPapua.co, Katadata.id, Tempo, etc.)
During the meeting, West Papua Governor Dominggus Mandacan said, agricultural, fishery, and forestry products in his area have contributed around Rp 8.32 trillion to the Indonesian 2018 Gross Domestic Product. However, the growth of the sector was still low at 2.87%. Therefore, he considered the importance of green investment to empower the industry.
“Investment support to replicate (best practices), increase productivity, expand market access, (will hopefully) overcome cultivation challenges such as pests and diseases,” he said. According to the West Papuan leader, the West Papua Provincial Government has provided a One-Stop Integrated Service (PTSP) to facilitate investment licensing. If these things can run optimally, he believes Papua’s economy can grow higher.
The Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, said, also during the meeting that the concept of green investment will be focused on central aspects of Papuan economy. They include agricultural, fishery, and ecotourism products, like coffee, in Papua and West Papua that have the potential to be exported.
“We can improve commodities like cocoa, Arabica coffee, and nutmeg. We also have seaweed and Robusta coffee that grow well in Papua, as well as culture, environment, and the sea in Papua which offers many opportunities for ecotourism, “he said at the Forum
The meeting saw the chance that the concept of environmentally friendly investment that will be applied in Papua and West Papua, can eventually propel economic growth in the land of Papua. Also, with the investment, the local communities can be more self-reliant to start economic activities. The natural economy is expected to be growing, and people can get social benefits from it.
To optimize its natural capital, the central and local governments of West Papua and Papua are committed to some crucial initiatives. They are namely protecting, preserving, and managing the ecosystems of Papua and West Papua sustainably, starting with the development of low carbon development initiatives, moratoriums, oil palm plantation concessions, moratoriums on primary natural forest concessions and peatlands.
The high-level Green Investment meeting was also attended by the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises, the Head of BKPM, the Governor of West Papua, the Deputy Governor of Papua, the Deputy Minister of Parekraf, and the Deputy of the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy. (*)
