APEC

Cutler is the Vice President of the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) based at Washington D.C.

She recently served as Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, working on a range of U.S trade negotiations and initiatives in the Asia Pacific Region.

ASPI tackles major policy challenges confronting the Asia-Pacific in security, prosperity, sustainability, and the development of common norms and values for the region.

He announced this in a media conference during the sixth Security Partnership Working Group (SPWG6) in Port Moresby today.

Jinga said with the JSTF almost in place, a concept on how APEC 2018 will be delivered will be put developed.

“We are now in the process of setting up that unit. That unit will be located within Waigani, and the commander will lead the tam to deliver APEC 2018.

“We are now in the process of coming up with the concept of how we’re gonna deliver APEC 2018,” Jinga said.

This is to ensure delegates to the various APEC lead up meeting appreciate the diversity and uniqueness PNG has to offer.

Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, said this today during the sixth Security Partners Working Group meeting in Port Moresby.

“Our country has many regions and is culturally unique. And that is where we believe some of the delegates can enjoy when some of the lead up meetings take place in those areas,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill said he is confident he will have the numbers to form the next government, and dismissed any doubt of a new government reviewing and possibly putting off the hosting of the APEC meet.

He said this during the APEC Security Partners Working Group sixth (SPWG6) meeting.

“Papua New Guinea is right now in the middle of an election and you will be hearing some political debates around APEC as well,” said O’Neill.

It is anticipated that the APEC forum will boost investment, tourism and trade.

A forum was held last week to raise awareness of the opportunities that APEC would present in 2018, following the APEC Policy Development Dialogue between Papua New Guinea, Australia and senior APEC officials from across the region.

The forum was hosted by the Australian High Commission and the Papua New Guinea APEC Secretariat through the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.

Tkatchenko made this statement to Loop PNG at the recent annual Papua New Guinea-Australia 25th Ministerial Forum held in Madang Resort Hotel.

The Forum provides an avenue for on-going dialogue on current or emerging bilateral issue of mutual interests and also to maintain a strong and strategic partnership.

Tkatchenko said, the Australian government has confirmed to fund the security and logistics prior to APEC in 2018.

In a press conference today after returning from the APEC Summit in Peru, O’Neill said the 21 APEC country leaders have confidence in PNG for hosting the APEC in 2018.

O’Neill said the government has continue to maintain the economic growth despite the challenges faced globally in regards to the falling of the commodity prices.

“The confidence expressed by the leaders to attend the APEC Summit in 2018 is overwhelming.”

This meeting underlined the economic clout of a regional trading block that accounts for 49% of global commerce.

Yet, for many delegates, the media and commentators on the fringe, the most interesting and talked about leader is still a "President in waiting", a man who wasn't even here in Lima.

This assurance was further driven home in a show of force and skill last night at the Sir John Guise stadium when PNG Loop was preview to a special display of close quarter combat and counter terrorism skills from the PNGDF Special Forces division.

Chief of Force Preparation, Colonel Siale Diro explained that the Special Forces have been training with the assistance of Australian, New Zealand and US special Forces for a number of years now.