President Jokowi receives visit of PNG Prime Minister Marape

Bogor (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) received an official visit from Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (PNG) James Marape on Monday at the Presidential Palace of Bogor, Bogor City, West Java.

PM Marape's convoy and his delegation arrived at the palace at around 10 a.m. Western Indonesian Standard Time.

In the company of several ministers of the Onward Indonesia Cabinet, President Jokowi personally welcomed the PNG head of government at the palace's grounds.

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Furthermore, the two leaders mutually introduced their delegates. The Indonesian delegation comprised Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan; Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi; State Secretariat Minister Pratikno; Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Minister Nadiem Makarim; and Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi.

The Indonesian head of state then invited PM Marape to a photo session and to sign a state guest book in the Teratai Room of the Bogor Palace before engaging in a brief conversation on the palace's veranda.

The two leaders earlier met during a trilateral meeting involving Prime Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, on the sidelines of the APEC Summit held in San Francisco, the United States, on November 16 last year.

During the meeting, President Jokowi underscored Indonesia's staunch commitment to making the Pacific region stable, peaceful, and prosperous.

Meanwhile, Marape's visit today follows his inaugural visit to Indonesia in March 2022. On that occasion, the PNG prime minister participated in a tree-planting session.

In response, President Jokowi embarked on a return visit to Indonesia's eastern neighbor in July of 2023.