Meet the Governor of Papua to Discuss the 10 Percent Share of Freeport, Bahlil Says It Will Be Completed in the Near Future

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia revealed that he had met with the Governor of Papua, Mathius Derek Fakhiri on Wednesday, January 21.

The meeting discussed the divestment of 10 percent of PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) shares to the Papua Provincial Government.

"We discussed several issues, including the issue of Papua's shares in Freeport, which 10 percent in the near future we will soon resolve," Bahlil told the media, quoted Friday, January 23.

Bahlil added that he was optimistic about the process of releasing 10 percent of PTFI's shares for the Papua Provincial Government and is targeted to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.

"Insyaallah it will be finished, it will be finished," added Bahlil.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto together with the Executive Committee for the Acceleration of the Development of Special Autonomy for Papua (KEPP-OKP) and six governors in the Papua region discussed the plan to divest shares intended for the Papuan people at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday, December 16.

Chairman of KEPP-OKP Velix Wanggai said that in the meeting, Prabowo Subianto gave instructions for the central and regional governments of Papua to discuss specifically the Freeport share divestment scheme, especially the 10 percent portion that is the right of the original Papuans.

Velix said the implementation of the divestment of Freeport shares will later be carried out through a state-owned enterprise owned by the Papua provincial government, namely PT Papua Divestasi Mandiri.

He said that the results of the AGM would later be reported to the Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian and the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia to be immediately followed up.

"We will follow up on this immediately after returning to the area, because we will hold the Papua Divestment AGM," said Velix.