Thousands are expected to cross the PNG-Indonesian border to get a glimpse of Pope Francis when he visits Vanimo in West Sepik province, Papua New Guinea.

He will spend three hours in the province.

Despite the pope visiting Indonesia for three days before arriving in Papua New Guinea, the people of West Papua will be in close proximity to Vanimo as they are very far from Jakarta, the Capital of Indonesia.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Justin Tkatchenko who made the announcement said, those from Indonesia will be thoroughly checked at both boarder posts at PNG and Indonesia.

“When the Pope is in Vanimo we will be expecting a couple of thousand of Catholics from West Papua in Indonesia, we will have to make sure that security is up to par, and the Foreign Affairs secretary, with the Defense and the Police have been working closely with the Indonesian Embassy to ensure that all security details are complete and secure for the popes visit and for our boarder operations.

“Because we will be seeing thousands of people crossing the boarder at one particular time to attend to the popes visit, and with the help of immigration as well at our side the PNG Side we must be on full alert, to ensure that all people are checked and have gone through the proper process when crossing over to Papua New Guinea.

“We will be working with the Australians and Indonesians on the intelligence side of things to ensure only those that are attending the Popes visit make it through to Papua New Guinea.

“Security is the number one priority for us we have been handling it on a day to day basis with all our line agencies to ensure we are up to date,” Minister Tkatchenko added.

The Government has committed K10 Million that will go to all the line agencies, to ensure that the papal visit to Papua New Guinea runs smoothly.

Minister Tkatchenko said the visit by Pope Francis is accorded as a state visit and is held with the highest regard for protocol like any other state visit to Papua New Guinea by an independent nation overseas and the Pope being the head of state for Vatican city, which is recognized as a land locked country in the world.

“His holiness Pope Francis is the head of state and he is accorded a state visit and as a head of state he comes as equal as our Governor General, so we keep the level of protocol at the highest order.

“He will receive a 21 gun salute and will be received by our ceremonial guard at the airport and will be accorded everything a state visit is attributed to,” Tkatchenko added.

Pope Francis is 87 years old and despite the many concerns of a long journey to Papua New Guinea, he is determined to visit the Catholic faithful across Asia pacific.

“His health is one of our top priority and he will be coming with his medical team as well, but the Vatican have inspected our private hospitals and hospital facilities, they have already earmarked incase anything happens we have a emergency plan put in place with an evacuation plan to Australia.

“The Pope is still very strong, he does have mobility issues which you will see, but mind body and soul he is determined from the briefing from the Vatican and he is really excited to come to PNG to Vanimo and visiting all the faithful in Papua New Guinea and we look forward to his arrival,” Tkatchenko said

The Pope will arrive on the 6th by Indonesian flag carrier Garuda Airlines, and will leave on the 9th of September for East Timor’s capital Dili on board PNGs National Flag carrier Air Niugini.