Indonesia – PNG Holds TWG Meeting in Tuban Bali

DETEKSIPOST.COM – TUBAN – BALI, Ministry of Agriculture through the Agricultural Quarantine Agency (Barantan) hosted a meeting of the 1st Technical Working Group (TWG) on the Implementation of the MoU on Collaborative Animal Health, Plant Health and Biosecurity Quarantine Activities Between TheRepublic of Indonesia and The Independent State of Papua New Guinea.
 
In addition, it was the first meeting of the Technical Working Group between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (PNG)! concerning Implementation of Memorandum of Understanding on Animal Health, Plants and Food Safety. The TWG held on 28-30 April 2019 took place in Tuban, Bali.
 
“It is a great honor for the Government of Indonesia to host the first TWG meeting between Indonesia – Papua New Guinea. “This meeting is a follow-up to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries, on April 18, 2018 in Bali on Animal Health, Plant Health and food security,” he said.
 
so the two parties agreed to hold a TWG as a forum to strengthen cooperation in the field of agricultural quarantine in order to support and facilitate trade in agricultural commodities between the two countries, “said Ali Jamil, Head of Barantan as Chair at the TWG meeting.
 
This meeting is an important momentum because part of the consistency of the two countries as a venue for strengthening cooperation in encouraging the export capacity of Indonesian agricultural commodities to PNG countries by following the scope of cooperation agreed upon in the Memorandum of Understanding.
 
As for the agreement, among others are the application of animal health, plants, fish and food security in promoting agricultural products, harmonization of rules and recommendations based on the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS)Measures).
 
“The opportunity for the Indonesian agricultural export market to PNG should be utilized as well as possible by increasing the competitiveness of Indonesian agricultural commodities on the international market. “One of the important things in exporting agricultural products is the SPS agreement as a step and action to protect humans, animals and plants from diseases, pests, or other contaminants,” explained Jamil.
 
in accordance with the direction of the Minister of Agriculture to continue to boost exports of agricultural commodities, PNG is one of the countries in the Pacific region that borders Indonesia directly in Papua. this is a potential market for Indonesian agricultural commodities and this must be maintained and improved market access in other Pacific region countries, he explained.
 
the head of the Barantan Center for Compliance, Cooperation and Information on Quarantine, Sujarwanto conveyed information based on Barantan IQFAST quarantine data that during the last 2 years of 2017 and 2018, agricultural commodities exported to PNG consisted of wheat flour, tobaccowheat flour, palm oil, grated coconut, mangosteen, cactus seeds, teak seedlings, cactus seeds, plywood, processed dairy products, processed chicken meat, chicken nuggets, processed poultry meat, processed beef, and cow’s milk.
 
Furthermore, at this TWG meeting, the Indonesian side negotiated an increase in market access again by proposing export products in the form of shallots, pineapple, coconut oil, soybean oil, potatoes, sweet corn, vegetables, tea, coffee, chocolate and cut flowers.
 
In addition to discussing trade cooperation in agricultural commodities, the meeting also discussed the related agenda of joint surveilance, joint inspection, joint risk assessment for certain diseases between the two countries, handling commodities that are traditionally crossed through bordersdisease monitoring, early disease detection, and capacity building for PNG quarantine officers, especially in terms of quarantine and biosecurity.
 
I hope that after the TWG meeting this will bring great benefits to the two countries with better economic growth and also strengthen cooperation in the agricultural and quarantine sectors in the border areas, “concluded Jamil.
 
Also present at the first TWG meeting was Susan Wanggai as the representative of the Governor of Papua at the Border, the Delegation of the State of Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian Delegation from related institutions.
 
Then the narrator is present, Ali Jamil Ph ..d. Head of the Agriculture Quarantine Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, drh. Sujarwanto, MM, Head of Center for Compliance, Cooperation and Information on Quarantine – Agricultural Quarantine Agency. (TIM) .