In order to support the acceleration of Papuan welfare development and alleviation of extreme poverty, the Ministry of Manpower has been implementing the Region-Based Expansion of Employment Opportunities programme in Bintuni Bay, West Papua, since 2021. Apart from Bintuni Bay, a similar programme is also being implemented in Mimika, Central Papua.
Special Advisor to the Minister of Manpower Caswiyono Rusydie Cw said that the region-based employment opportunity expansion programme is a breakthrough programme of Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah to overcome unemployment and poverty based on local potential.
“Papua’s plentiful natural potential, both above ground, underground, sea, and under the sea is a great economic capital to realise the welfare of the Papuan people,” said Caswiyono Rusydie at the Local Consultation for the Expansion of Region-Based Employment Opportunities in Bintuni Bay, West Papua, Friday (23/6/2023).
He emphasised that cross-government and cross-stakeholder collaboration is needed to manage the potential of natural resources, especially to overcome poverty and unemployment.
“This regional-based employment opportunity expansion programme is a cross-sector collaboration programme and involves all stakeholders, including the central government, regional governments, village governments, the private sector, universities, NGOs and community groups,” he said.
The regional consultation was attended by the Ministry of Manpower, DPOs within the West Papua Provincial Government, Bappeda and various DPOs within the Bintuni Bay Regency Government, District heads and Village heads in Bintuni Bay, academics from IPB University, Papua State University, Papua Agricultural Polytechnic, leaders of state-owned and private companies, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and representatives of Bintuni Bay community groups.
Local region meetings were held to discuss and develop a strategic plan for the Region-Based Employment Opportunities Expansion programme in Bintuni Bay. This collaborative programme was held in 3 regions, namely the indigenous Papuan region in the Merdey Mountains, the indigenous Papuan region in coastal Masina, and the Nusantara multicultural community region in Menimeri.
The local meeting resulted in a joint commitment to develop the Region-Based PKK programme in Bintuni Bay. The commitment contained several opportunities. Firstly, the ideas, initiatives and programmes for the expansion of region-based employment opportunities in Teluk Bintuni Regency, which have been running for the past year, have begun to show encouraging initial results and should be continued in a consistent and integrated manner.
Secondly, the parties present at the Local Consultation agreed to continue the cooperation, collaboration, mutual support, coordination and synergy of the following:
a) Central Government (especially the Ministry of Manpower, and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry); including the Sorong Vocational and Productivity Training Centre (BPVP), and the Maluku and Papua Social Forestry and Environmental Partnership Centre (BPSKL); b) West Papua Provincial Forestry Service, West Papua Provincial Fisheries Service, West Papua Provincial Agricultural Polytechnic; c) Government of Bintuni Bay Regency, West Papua Province; d) Private companies and state-owned enterprises operating in and around Bintuni Bay, as well as GIZ; e) Gradually and systematically building supply chains for red fruit products, marine products, animal feed, and various Kawasan products; and f) Organising training that is relevant to the business needs of Kawasan TKM.
Third, the Expansion of Region-Based Employment Opportunities programme from the Ministry of Manpower, the Social Forestry Programme from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and the Community Economic Development Programme of Bintuni Bay Regency, West Papua Province; need to be guarded in an integrated manner by all parties to improve the welfare of community members in a region.
Fourth, the groups and communities involved in the Region-Based Employment Opportunities Expansion Programme agree to participate in guarding the sustainability of the programme; and to work together and understand each other if there are difficulties and obstacles in the implementation of the programme.
Fifth, the parties agree to develop a strategic plan for regional development in the Indigenous Papuans (OAP) Merdey Mountains Region; OAP Masina Coastal Region; and Manimeri Nusantara Multicultural Region Community; Bintuni Bay Regency in an integrated and participatory manner by involving all stakeholders.
West Papua Now 