TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin met with his Papua New Guinean counterpart Billy M. Joseph in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on Monday, July 7, 2025. The meeting between Sjafrie and Joseph resulted in several agreements to strengthen the defense cooperation between the two countries.
"This visit strengthens the strategic bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries," said Sjafrie in an official statement on X @Sjafriesjams on Monday, July 7, 2025.
During the meeting, the minister said Indonesia expressed Indonesia's commitment to boosting the two countries' defense synergy based on the principles of mutual respect and cross-border fraternities.
The Defense Ministry mentioned that Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are accelerating the implementation of the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA), forming joint working groups, and promoting concrete cooperation in the field of military education. Sjafrie and Joseph also agreed on border management and the opening of a direct flight route from Port Moresby to Merauke.
The meeting between the two ministers is a continuation of their meeting at the end of last month during the Indo Defence Expo and Forum. The Papua New Guinea media, Post-Courier, reported that PNG seeks assistance through the DCA to rebuild the PNGDF's air capabilities.
The plan for PNGDF Air Capability includes the recovery of a grounded CASA 235 and working on an Airbus for the new CASA 295. Other plans include acquiring two H145 helicopters.
Indonesia and Papua New Guinea share a land border of approximately 770 kilometers. Along this border, there are many illegal crossing points that are often used for illegal immigration and smuggling.
The Indonesian government has operated several border crossing posts, including at Skouw, Jayapura, Papua; Sota, Merauke, South Papua; and Yetetkun, Boven Digoel, South Papua. In several high-risk areas along the border, the Indonesian military also deploys border security task forces that are on duty year-round.
The governments of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea also collaborate to co-manage and safeguard the border. The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on its official website that the two countries conduct an annual meeting to discuss border cooperation in forums such as the Border Liaison Officer Meeting (BLOM), Border Liaison Meeting (BLM), Joint Border Committee, and Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC).
During the meeting between former president Joko Widodo and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape at the Bogor Palace, West Java, on Monday, July 15, 2024, they agreed to work together in cross-border movements for commercial purposes, one of which is cross-border transportation cooperation.
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