Indonesia’s President elect, Prabowo Subianto, while on his first State Visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in August, extended his invitation to Prime Minister (PM) James Marape for his inauguration, of which Marape accepted and will attend this weekend. Marape will represent the government and people of PNG at the inauguration of H.E. Prabowo Subianto as the eighth President of the Republic of Indonesia, scheduled for this Sunday, October 20, 2024, at the Senayan Parliament Complex in Jakarta. President-elect Subianto will be inaugurated alongside Vice President elect H.E. Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the son of outgoing President H.E. Joko Widodo. The inauguration ceremony will be attended by an array of esteemed international dignitaries, including leaders and high-ranking representatives. Key Indonesian figures, including former Presidents Megawati Sukarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, will also be present, underscoring the significance of this occasion in the nation’s history. PM Marape’s participation highlights the robust state of PNG-Indonesia relations, which have grown markedly stronger over recent years. President-elect Subianto and Prime Minister Marape engaged in a productive dialogue during the President-elect’s visit to Port Moresby in August, reaffirming mutual commitments to further collaboration between the two nations. The Prime Minister also recently held discussions with outgoing President Widodo during the 3rd PNG-Indonesia Annual Leaders’ Dialogue, hosted in Jakarta from July 13-15, 2024. Since its inception in Jakarta in 2022, this Dialogue has become a cornerstone of bilateral cooperation, paving the way for increased engagement across multiple sectors. In August, Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso led a PNG government delegation to Indonesia, seeking to promote trade and investment opportunities for Papua New Guinean businesses in Indonesian markets. This delegation included prominent leaders, such as International Trade and Investment Minister Hon. Richard Maru and Labor Minister Hon. Kessy Sawang, as well as key figures from the private sector, signalling a deepening of economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries. Reflecting on Indonesia’s progress, Prime Minister Marape remarked: “The remarkable growth of Indonesia, our closest neighbour, from a developing nation to a global economic powerhouse, is nothing short of extraordinary. Reflecting on Indonesia’s growth, Marape said Indonesia’s success in sectors such as downstream processing of minerals and LNG, agriculture, tourism, and SMEs offers invaluable lessons for PNG. “As Indonesia ascends to the world stage, we have much to gain by collaborating and learning from their journey.” He said Indonesia's economy, the largest in Southeast Asia, stands as a testament to what can be achieved through strategic vision and determination.