Jakarta.  During President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's leadership, development in Papua has significantly impacted poverty alleviation in the region.

Kastorius Sinaga, Special Staff for Politics and Media to the Home Affairs Minister, revealed that over the last 10 years, the Human Development Index (HDI) in Papua has increased by 5.6 percent. As a result, the poverty rate in the region decreased to 21 percent in 2023, down from 27.6 percent in 2014.

"The increase in HDI is the result of implementing the Master Plan for Accelerating Papua Development (RIPPP), which focuses on three main areas: a healthy, educated, and productive Papua," he said during a discussion titled “10 Years of Building Papua with an Indonesia-Centric Approach” on Monday.

He explained that the government has allocated special autonomy funds (otsus) for infrastructure and basic service development in Papua. Over the past decade, these funds have reached Rp 117 trillion, reflecting a 16 percent increase compared to allocations since 2004.

At the same event, Tri Dewi Virgiyanti, Deputy for Regional Development at the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), emphasized that since the launch of the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) in 2014, the government has prioritized development in peripheral areas, particularly in eastern Indonesia, including Papua.

According to her, Bappenas is currently drafting the RPJMN 2024-2029 to ensure the continuity of successful programs over the past decade so that they can be continued by the next government.

Meanwhile, Imam Soejoedi, Expert Staff in Macroeconomic Affairs at the Investment Ministry, noted that large-scale investments in Papua, such as those in the sugar industry, copper smelters, or fertilizer plants in Fakfak, must align with the readiness of the local workforce. Without involving local residents in the supply chain, they will remain, mere spectators, while external parties reap the economic benefits.

Therefore, the government is collaborating to prepare local workers through training and vocational programs, ensuring that both skilled and unskilled labor are equipped for these opportunities.

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