The new President of Indonesia is arriving to Papua New Guinea (PNG) today, touching down at the Jackson International Airport at noon (12pm) along with his delegation on his first visit to the country. Prime Minister (PM) James Marape has offered a very warm welcome to Indonesia’s new president, President Prabowo Subianto, as he awaits the arrival of the Indonesian leader in Port Moresby city. “It is a high honour for him to dedicate his first national visit as the President-elect to Papua New Guinea,” said PM Marape. “We share land border with Indonesia. Our people from this side of the border share common Melanesian heritage with theirs. “The incoming leader of one of the world’s biggest economies has decided to pay us a visit on one of his first visits after being elected as president of his country.” Prime Minister Marape is looking forward to receiving him at the APEC Terminal today. “We will give him the full honours befitting a Head of State, and I look forward to sitting with him in the bilateral meeting that follows and the exchanges that will flow from it.” Marape said the bilateral meeting agenda will comprise discussions on education scholarships for PNG students, increase in trade visits to and from Indonesia, and a look into downstream processing for PNG with Indonesia’s assistance. “We will pick up from previous discussions on education scholarships for our students to study in Indonesia,” said the PM. “We also have to ramp up on more trade visits. PNG follows suit on Indonesia’s progress as a processor of its own natural resources. PNG has a big room full of raw produce in our country, especially in agriculture, fisheries and forestry, similar to their produce and our minerals are similar to theirs.” “So, we are synergizing, not just government to government but also business to business. This is now the common agenda I have been driving." Marape said in the last meeting he had with him in Jakarta, the President-elect indicated a fresh approach to managing his people, including those in West Papua. "He was very open to the discussions especially in respect to the preservation of cultural and heritage rights of his people in West Papua,” Marape stated.