PNG reaffirms digital leadership in the Pacific

Acting Information Communications and Technology Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jnr has called for stronger Regional Cooperation on Infrastructure, Cybersecurity and Digital Trust.

He made this call during his address at the Pacific ICT Ministers Dialogue held in Suva today.

Minister Tsiamalili, also reaffirmed Papua New Guinea’s commitment to building a connected, secure and inclusive digital future for the Pacific.

Speaking on behalf of the Government and people of Papua New Guinea, Minister Tsiamalili highlighted the nation’s transformative progress in digital infrastructure development and cybersecurity readiness, and called for stronger regional mechanisms to formalise cooperation with development partners and the private sector.

“We in the Pacific are more than neighbors - we are a family of nations, genetically intertwined through shared ancestry, culture, and history. Our roots are deep in the ocean, but our vision must now reach the digital horizon,” Minister Tsiamalili said.

“Digital transformation is not a luxury - it is a necessity. It affirms our identity, realigns our partnerships, and strengthens our collective resolve to rise together in unity, resilience, and innovation, "added Tsiamalili.

He also shared that Papua New Guinea’s broadband penetration has risen from 40% in 2020 to nearly 80% by 2025, with 4G access covering over 90% of users.

Minister Tsiamalili also confirmed the release of PNG’s Spectrum Roadmap and a national target to launch 5G services in major centers soon.

The Minister reported that 90% of PNG’s government agencies are now operating on a Government Cloud platform and announced plans to procure a Tier III national data centre to secure sovereign data hosting.

On cybersecurity, Minister Tsiamalili highlighted the increasing number of threats PNG has faced in the last 18 months, including two major ransomware attacks, prompting PNG to fully implement its Cybersecurity Policy [2021] and Strategy [2024], with operational oversight provided by the National Cyber Security Centre.

Tsiamalili also announced PNG’s intent to accede to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, with the policy submission already signed and set for Parliament to deliberate.

“A connected Pacific must also be a secure Pacific,” he said. “Without trust, our people will hesitate to embrace digital services, our businesses will hold back from innovation, and our governments will remain exposed to rising cyber threats.”

The Minister closed his address by urging all Pacific nations to coordinate their efforts in digital infrastructure investment, information-sharing, and cybersecurity capacity-building.

“Let us equip our regional digital lagatoi with strong masts, infrastructure, and a trusted compass, and security to reach our shared destination, a digitally sovereign Pacific grounded in our values and united in our ambition.”