Vice President Not Moving to Papua, Only the Special Agency Secretariat

JAKARTA – The government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating development in Papua by establishing the secretariat for the Special Agency for the Acceleration of Development for Papua’s Special Autonomy, which is now officially based in Jayapura. This office location does not mean the Vice President will have a permanent office in Papua, but rather supports the effectiveness of the special agency led by the Vice President.

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, stated that the presence of this office follows up on the mandate of Article 68A of Law Number 2 of 2021 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua.

“The office in Papua is the secretariat and executive personnel of the Special Agency chaired by the Vice President, not the Vice President himself,” Yusril said.

This explanation was provided to clarify reports from several media outlets that stated that Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka would have a permanent office in Papua. Yusril emphasized that the Vice President’s office constitutionally does not allow for an office outside the nation’s capital.

“The Vice President has a constitutional position stipulated in the 1945 Constitution, so his/her seat follows the President’s in the capital,” Yusril added.

The Special Agency for the Acceleration of Special Autonomy Development in Papua was established through Presidential Regulation Number 121 of 2022 and is tasked with synergizing cross-ministerial programs for Papua. This agency involves elements of the central government and representatives from each province in Papua, with the aim of ensuring more targeted development acceleration policies.

Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian, emphasized that the secretariat office is not the Vice President’s permanent office.
“The office in Jayapura is only used as a coordination point and administrative center when the Vice President is in Papua to lead meetings or conduct field activities,” Tito emphasized.

This step reflects the government’s more structured and integrated approach to resolving development issues in Papua. The presence of a secretariat office in eastern Indonesia is also expected to shorten coordination channels between the central and regional governments, while also symbolizing that attention to Papua is not merely rhetorical, but operational.