Central Papua Supports Sustainable Development Through Papeda Summit

The Provincial Government of Central Papua supports strengthening sustainable development in Papua through the Papeda Summit 2026, which will serve as a dialogue space for various stakeholders. Central Papua Regional Secretary Silwanus Sumule stated that the forum is a strategic platform for discussing various development issues faced by communities in Papua. “This is a good idea, but my suggestion is that it must be grounded,” said Silwanus in a statement on Monday. According to him, development in Papua needs to pay attention to the needs of the community and conditions in the region so that the resulting policies can be implemented concretely. He also provided several inputs to be discussed at the Papeda Summit, including the implementation of Government Regulation Number 106 of 2021 and Government Regulation Number 107 of 2021 as part of the implementation of Special Autonomy. In addition, he highlighted the importance of strengthening environmental issues within the framework of national development, discussing the Special Autonomy Fund, and protection schemes for indigenous peoples’ land rights without losing ownership. Co-Chair of the Papeda Summit 2026, Vania Komegi, said the forum is designed to bring together various stakeholders to formulate inputs from the regions into policy recommendations that can be submitted to the national government regarding the direction of development in Papua. “The Papeda Summit is a space to bring together various parties so that inputs from the regions can be formulated into recommendations that are conveyed directly to the national government,” she said. Meanwhile, Papeda Summit Secretary Retno Widiyastuti said the forum will bring together governors from across Papua with indigenous communities, academics, business actors, civil society organisations, and environmental observers. She expressed hope that all governors in Papua can attend and engage in discussions on the direction of sustainable development in the region. “We want to create a joint dialogue space to answer one big question, namely where the direction of sustainable development in Papua is headed,” she said. Separately, the Head of the Central Papua Environment, Forestry, and Land Agency, Yan Richard Pugu, emphasised the importance of developing an integrated spatial planning concept as a common reference for the six provinces in Papua. According to him, spatial planning is necessary so that development can proceed in harmony with the protection of forest areas and the sustainable use of natural resources. The Papeda Summit 2026 is scheduled to take place in Sorong, Southwest Papua, from 2 to 4 September 2026. Initiated by more than 50 civil society organisations, the forum is expected to become a biennial platform to strengthen collaboration, encourage innovation and investment, and accelerate sustainable development in Papua. Three main themes will be discussed at the forum: leadership and commitment, indigenous communities and ecosystems, and financing and the future economy.