Embassy of China Delegation Visits Maternal and Child Nutrition and Learning Programmes in Papua under Partnership with the Government of Indonesia and UNICEF

Jayapura, Papua, 4 February 2026 – A delegation from the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Indonesia this week visited Jayapura City and Jayapura District in Papua to observe how mothers and children are benefiting from the partnership between the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), UNICEF and the Government of Indonesia to improve nutrition, learning and overall well-being through the Government’s Free Nutritious Meals Programme (Makan Bergizi Gratis/MBG).

The delegation was led by H.E. Mr. Li Hongwei, Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy, and joined by Ms. Maniza Zaman, UNICEF Indonesia Representative, along with senior officials from the Government of Indonesia. Representatives from the National Nutrition Agency, Special Autonomy Papua Development Acceleration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bappenas, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education joined the visit from Jakarta.

The partnership focuses on strengthening the delivery of integrated nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene services in schools, community health centres (Posyandu) and community kitchens. It also aims to strengthen locally owned systems to deliver quality nutrition services at scale, which includes capacity building for community volunteers, teachers and kitchen staff.

In Jayapura District, the delegation visited a Posyandu in Nimbokrang, where they observed community-based nutrition services including growth monitoring, Vitamin A supplementation, deworming and nutrition screening. The delegation also visited a community kitchen operating under the Ministry of Health, where nutritious hot-cooked meals and nutrition education are routinely provided for pregnant women and children under five.

At a primary school implementing an integrated school nutrition programme under MBG, the delegation observed classroom-based nutrition education, meal distribution, handwashing demonstrations and the use of improved water, sanitation and hygiene facilities that support children’s health, nutrition and learning.

As part of the MBG rollout in Jayapura, several central kitchens (Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi / SSPG) have been equipped to strengthen food preparation capacity, efficiency and food safety in line with programme standards. During the visit, the delegation observed kitchen operations and discussed quality assurance, hygiene protocols and service readiness with local implementers.

A ceremonial session was held today at the Papua Governor’s Office to mark the contribution of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, through CIDCA, in supporting the strengthening of food preparation capacity under Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals programme. The session reaffirmed the shared commitment of all partners to strengthening government-led, locally managed nutrition systems in Papua.

The meeting was hosted by Papua’s Regional Secretary Christian Sohilait and attended by authorities from the national Government as well as provincial and district authorities from Jayapura City and Jayapura Regency.

In his opening remarks, Minister Counsellor Li Hongwei said: “the agreement signed in December 2024 between the China International Development Cooperation Agency and UNICEF China on food supplementation and school feeding in Indonesia is the first cash-based aid project jointly implemented by China and UNICEF in Indonesia, further cementing China's commitment to supporting Indonesia's free meal program. The project has continued its support to the government of Indonesia in improving access to safe and nutritious food, and hopefully we can collaborate together to ensure the successful implementation of the project, to build a model of triangular cooperation”.

Maniza Zaman, UNICEF Indonesia Representative said, “Every child has the right to grow up healthy, nourished and ready to learn in a safe environment with adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene services. Nutrition is not a privilege – it is a fundamental right that underpins children’s education, overall health and wellbeing. UNICEF is proud to work with the Government of Indonesia and the China International Development Cooperation Agency to deliver integrated services for children and mothers, while strengthening local systems for sustained impact.”

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Note to the Editor:

Papua continues to face significant nutrition challenges. About one in four children under five is stunted, compared to one in five nationally. One in ten suffer from wasting and nearly 30 percent of school-age children are either malnourished or overweight. These nutritional challenges are coupled with barriers to education – including teacher absenteeism, gaps in teacher capacity, a lack of quality learning materials, and low participation in early childhood education – underscoring the need for integrated action across nutrition and education.

Through its partnership with UNICEF, the Government of China—via CIDCA—supports Indonesia’s national efforts to strengthen maternal and child nutrition systems in Jayapura. With the local government, the partnership is piloting innovative approaches to improve maternal and child nutrition, including the tailoring of a food supplementation programme for young children and pregnant women to the local context. UNICEF works with the local government in Jayapura to strengthen systems and approaches for implementation of government-led programmes.

These efforts contribute to reducing malnutrition, improving learning and generating evidence to inform the future scale-up of government-led programmes.