Prime Minister James Marape has confirmed that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit Papua New Guinea next week.
He will be in the country for a two-day official visit from January 12-13th to attend the Annual Leaders' Dialogue with counterpart Prime Minister Marape in Port Moresby.
Following the Dialogue, the Prime Ministers will travel together to Wewak to visit the resting place of the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare.
“We look forward to the visit of Australian Prime Minister Albanese to PNG,” Prime Minister Marape said.
"I have spent time with my good friend, Prime Minister Albanese, on several occasions last year, including in Australia at the Prime Minister's XIII Rugby League match.
"For Prime Minister Albanese to start the New Year with a visit to Papua New Guinea reinforces the strong bond between our two countries.
"Australia and Papua New Guinea have a long history and this visit will strengthen our shared vision for the future.
“Australia is a very-important foundation bilateral partner of PNG, in as far as nation-to-nation relations are concerned”, he added.
Prime Minister Marape assured the people of PNG that preparations were fully underway for the visit by Prime Minister Albanese.
“Part of the programme will include Prime Minister Albanese addressing our National Parliament, which we are offering as a mark of respect to the Australian leader, as PNG marches towards our 50th anniversary of Independence.
“It is only befitting that the leader of the Australian Labor Party, which granted Independence to PNG in 1975 through then leader Gough Whitlam, be given this honour of addressing our National Parliament,” he added.