Nabire – The Central Papua Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Central Papua) has established the Honai Papua Tengah Terang Cooperative, which is being prepared to serve as a driver of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and strengthen the people’s economy across the province’s eight regencies.

Chairman of Kadin Central Papua, Alexander Gobay, said the cooperative was established to provide a platform and protection for MSME players, who have long been one of the key drivers of the local economy.

“We established this cooperative because MSMEs are the backbone of the community’s economy. Kadin is here as an umbrella organization to protect and foster the cooperative so that it can grow sustainably,” he said during the Kadin Seminar on the Economic Potential of Central Papua, which was held in conjunction with the Launch of the Parent Cooperative, Honai Papua Tengah Terang Cooperative, at the LPP RRI Auditorium in Nabire, Central Papua, on Tuesday (June 9, 2026).

According to Gobay, the cooperative will bring together and strengthen business actors operating in various sectors based on local economic potential, including food production and fisheries.

He explained that the Honai Papua Tengah Terang Cooperative will be expanded throughout all regencies in Central Papua to reach a greater number of entrepreneurs and strengthen community-based economic networks.

With the establishment of the cooperative, MSME players are expected to gain better access to business development opportunities, capacity-building programs, and partnerships that can enhance the competitiveness of local products.

He added that the cooperative is under the guidance of Kadin Central Papua and is being developed to support community economic growth while aligning with the province’s development vision of improving public welfare.

“This cooperative will serve as a platform for MSMEs to grow and become an important force in driving the economy of Central Papua,” he said.

Meanwhile, Victor Fun, Assistant III for General Administration at the Central Papua Provincial Secretariat, said the establishment of the Honai Papua Tengah Terang Cooperative represents a concrete step toward strengthening the people’s economy and empowering local communities.

According to him, cooperatives must function as instruments that deliver direct benefits through stronger production and marketing capabilities, business development, and broader economic access for the community.

He noted that the Central Papua Provincial Government continues to promote the development of cooperatives and MSMEs as part of its sustainable regional economic development strategy, including through the advancement of agriculture, fisheries, livestock farming, the creative economy, and community-based ecotourism.

“We want to build a strong economy that delivers direct benefits to the people, so that Central Papua is not only rich in natural resources but also home to a self-reliant and economically productive society,” Victor concluded.