Accelerating Economic Development from Merauke Regency as Indonesia's Eastern Border Area by Strengthening cooperation with Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guin

Abstraksi

Development disparity between regions is getting wider between the western part of Indonesia and the eastern part especially in the border region. Disadvantage for the border area because it is isolated with the closest area to neighboring countries so far. However, deal with Nawacita, which is to develope Indonesia from border areas, nowadays, Merauke Regency is a serious concern to the Indonesian government as a strategic and potential area for national development by looking at: a. 1) Geographically very close to 2 developed industrial countries namely Australia and New Zealand and friend countries of Papua New Guinea in APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation). 2) has the highest growth rate in Papua Province that is 7.60 percent in 2016. 3) has the second largest population in Papua Province which is 223,389 in 2017 with a plural society as well as the most secure level of stability. 4) as one of the Special Economic Zones (KEK) as the national food granary. Therefore, a development strategy is needed to strengthen cooperative relationships with Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea by opening the accessibility of trade routes among the three neighboring countries, investment cooperation, tourism sector, education sector and infrastructure development cooperation. This will contribute to increased export-import volume, increased foreign exchange and strengthening of the currency, accelerating national development, increasing community income, consumers and producers will get a relatively cheap price due to low economic costs, and also more harmonious relationship among these countries.