The Provincial Government of Highland Papua has emphasized the urgency of accelerating development in three crucial sectors: infrastructure, education, and health. This strategic step is considered the main key to improving the standard of living and welfare of the community spread across eight regencies in the region.
Assistant II for Economy and Development of the Regional Secretariat of Highland Papua, Elai Giban, revealed that inter-regional connectivity through adequate road construction remains a major challenge. In addition, improving the quality of education and health services is seen as highly urgent so that its impact can be felt directly by the community at the grassroots level.
Elai Giban emphasized that Indigenous Papuans (OAP - Orang Asli Papua) have a high spirit to catch up and develop in harmony with the progress of other regions in Indonesia. Therefore, stronger synergy with the central government is needed to formulate specific policies that favor the survival and sustainability of Indigenous Papuans.
In a statement delivered in Wamena, Elai also highlighted the importance of central policy alignment in the economic empowerment sector. According to him, the future of the younger generation of Papua heavily depends on the seriousness of implementing development programs oriented toward local needs.
Nevertheless, the Provincial Government of Highland Papua expressed appreciation for the support that has flowed so far, such as assistance from the Ministry of Health, basic infrastructure development, and the provision of scholarships for Papuan students to study outside the region. It is hoped that continuous attention from the central government will consistently spur the growth and progress of Highland Papua.
