PNG Indonesia international land border to host small business trade fair

No man's land at Wutung International land border seperating Papua New Guinea and Indonesia will connect both nations through the Border Trade Fair, starting Thursday.

The three days event is organized by Provincial Government of Papua in Indonesia and around 66 micro, small and medium enterprises from both nations will be setting up booths to talk commerce and find new business links.

Papua New Guinea can take a page out of the success book of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to the economy of its giant neighbour - Indonesia.

The MSMEs employs around 97 percent of the workforce in the fourth most populous country in the world.

The Border Trade Fair will run from October 8 to 10 between commonly referred to as "no men's land" the international land crossing from Wutung in West Sepik to Skouw in the Papua Province of Indonesia.

According to Jayapura Customs and Excise Office, export volume to PNG through the international land border is over K12 Million.

And the Border Trade Fair will be an opportunity for PNG Government to start moving the talks from Waigani to Vanimo to increase trade export to the massive economy of the country it shares the only land border with.

Papua Provincial Government of Indonesia and the Indonesian Embassy in a statement stated that, "The Border Trade Fair aims to strengthen corporation between the Republic of Indonesia and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, particularly in the areas of cross-border trade, local economic development, investment, tourism, community empowerment, and people-to-people relations.

And further read "Indonesian entrepreneur can provide practical example of how to compose local products into attractive, competitive and marketable goods. At the same time, PNG SMEs can share their own traditional products, skills, and knowledge, creating a two-way exchange that can strengthen entrepreneurship and economic cooperation between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia."