French President Emmanuel Macron is set to visit Papua New Guinea on Friday, July 28, 2023, according to an announcement made by Prime Minister James Marape.
The invitation was extended during a meeting between Prime Minister Marape and Walid Fouque, Special Advisor for Asia and the Pacific to President Macron, held in Port Moresby on June 5, 2023.
This visit follows previous encounters between President Macron and Prime Minister Marape, including a meeting at the One Forest Summit in Gabon earlier this year and their attendance at APEC 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand. President Macron's visit to Port Moresby will commence at 11am on July 28 and conclude at 5pm on the same day.
During his visit, President Macron will engage in a courtesy call with Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae, followed by a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Marape. The agenda also includes a bilateral meeting and the signing of several agreements between the two nations.
Prime Minister Marape highlighted the visit's significance in strengthening bilateral relations between France and Papua New Guinea. He expressed appreciation for President Macron's commitment to engaging in discussions on mutual interests.
Notably, President Macron's visit coincides with the final investment decision (FID) by French company TotalEnergies on the Papua LNG Project, indicating France's increasing investment in Papua New Guinea.
TotalEnergies is actively involved in downstream processing of natural resources, including forests.
Prime Minister Marape emphasized the strategic position of Papua New Guinea amidst the evolving geopolitical landscape in the region, describing it as "neutral ground."
He plans to discuss this aspect with President Macron and urges France to consider Papua New Guinea's role in light of changing regional dynamics.
Overall, President Macron's visit is expected to strengthen cooperation and shared goals between France and Papua New Guinea, particularly in areas such as forest conservation, French investments in Papua New Guinea, resource mobilization for small Pacific Island countries, and other relevant matters.