Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia is strengthening cooperation with China in efforts to alleviate poverty by adopting best practices based on industrialization and downstreaming, which are considered successful in improving people's welfare.
Minister of Transmigration Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara said after meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Wang Lutong here on Monday that the cooperation is part of President Prabowo Subianto's directive to accelerate poverty alleviation while also creating more jobs.
According to him, Indonesia has been studying China’s success in managing transmigration and poverty alleviation programs.
One example is the relocation of millions of people alongside the development of industrialization and downstream infrastructure.
“We have witnessed how transmigration is carried out in China, how they relocated more than nine million people due to the construction of hydroelectric power plants and large dams, and how they also empowered the communities,” he said.
The model will be adapted across 154 transmigration areas in Indonesia. In the near future, the government will also send a team of experts to China for further study.
“China has invited the Ministry of Transmigration to send experts, consisting of ministry officials as well as academics from 10 top universities in Indonesia,” he said.
Not only academics and officials, representatives of transmigrants themselves will also be involved in the program.
In addition, both countries discussed plans to establish a Center of Excellence for Poverty Alleviation focused on Papua, covering food, energy, and water security.
“This includes a comprehensive plan through the establishment of a Center of Excellence for food, energy, and water security, which we will focus on in Papua,” he said.
China has shown strong interest in the project after previously sending a delegation to conduct a survey in Papua.
“According to the ambassador, they are very enthusiastic and want to realize the Center of Excellence for poverty alleviation in Papua,” he said.
