New Zealand keen on increasing development support to PNG

NZ Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters and Justin Tkatchenko, Foreign Affairs Minister at the bilateral meeting today (Foreign Affairs Media)

The government of New Zealand is dedicated to enhancing collaboration with Papua New Guinea in several areas, including defense, trade, investment, health, education, and infrastructure.

This commitment was reaffirmed during a bilateral meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs Justin Tkatchenko and his counterpart Winston Peters.

In a joint news conference, Minister Tkatchenko stated that New Zealand has been a "partner of choice" to PNG since 1975 and expressed a desire to strengthen relations by discussing issues of shared regional interest, such as climate change.

PNG High Commissioner to New Zealand, His Excellency Sakias Tameo

"We w/ill be reviewing our PNG New Zealand Statement of Partnership, which covers a broad spectrum of initiatives and programs and activities like education, health, immigration, infrastructure and many other things like that, Mr Tkatchenko said.

"We will increase and work together on our Defense Corporation, which has been remarkable over the many years, and we look forward to working in strengthening our Defense Cooperation now and into the future".

The ministers discussed how they can improve trade relationships between their respective countries and create a new agreement between New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

They also talked about direct flights from PNG to New Zealand, the agricultural industry, labor mobility, and the electrification program.

Funding support

NZ Deputy PM, Winston Peters, and Government of NZ delegation at the bilateral meeting this morning (Foreign Affairs Media)

Furthermore, the New Zealand Government announced funding support for various projects in the country.

Among them is the K70 million Buka Grid solar project in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters announced this, in a joint news conference in Port Moresby today.

"We've had a chance to announce the $70 million to the Booker Electricity Grid Solar Upgrade Project and also the Highland Joint Partnership.

"There's another project of peace building in the Southern Highlands Provinces and then also the Centre for Eye Health in Port Moresby, which is a marvelous innovation", Mr Peters said.

The Deputy Prime Minister also met with Prime Minister James Marape at Manasupe Haus.

The Minister's next stop is at Fred Hollows Center for Eye Health at the Port Moresby General hospital, then to Kumul Leadership Center at Murray Barracks at 4 o'clock.

He will also meet with Autonomous Bougainville Government, President Ishmael Toroama later this evening.