Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Soroi Eoe and the Japanese Ambassador to PNG.
Nobuyuki Watanabe signed the Exchange of Notes for grant assistances of 300 million Japanese Yen (9.2 million Kina) and 510 Japanese Yen (15.6 million Kina) on behalf of their respective governments.
The signing was last Friday, February 25, the first grant of K9.2 million will be used to provide heavy equipment and plant to the National Airports Corporation (NAC) at Tokua Airport and the East New Britain Provincial Department of Works to conduct maintenance on airport operations in a safe and secure environment and also support maintenance of roads.
The equipment will consist of a tractor, ride on mowers, push lawn mowers, brush cutters, a backhoe, and line marking machines, amongst others and be delivered to NAC at Tokua airport and the END Provincial Department of Works.
The Government in its Vision 2050 and Medium Term Development Plan III plans to transform the East New Britain Province into a tourism hub, which will also foster growth in its agriculture and fisheries sectors to diversify the economy by creating additional revenue streams.
This equipment will contribute towards the maintenance and safe operations of the Tokua airport, which is a critical infrastructure forming part of this information. The Government is thankful to the Japanese Government and is optimistic that the supply of heavy equipment and plant for Tokua airport and the surrounding road infrastructure will spur economic and social development in the New Guinea islands region and the wider Papua New Guinea.
The second grant assistance was at K15.6 million approved by the Japanese Government in a recent cabinet meeting and is purposely for the procurement of electrical equipment to enhance power generation, particularly at the Rouna 3 hydropower station.
The grant aid funding will contribute toward PNG Vision 2050’s target to reduce greenhouse emission by 90 percent and provide 100 percent power generation from renewable energy sources by 2050. It will also help to provide low cost generation for PNG Power to connect households under the PNG Electrification Partnership and PNG Development Strategic Plan to connect 70 percent of households.
Minister Eoe thanked the Government of Japan, through its Embassy in PNG for the assistance and assured that the assistance will be implemented effectively and for their intended purposes for the benefit of Papua New Guineans.