Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Dios village is located in Tinputz District along the Kokopau to Itakara road about 50 kilometers from Kokopau.

The Kokopau to Itakara trunk road provides a critical link between the Central, Northern, and Southern regions of Bougainville, connecting villages, communities and livelihood supply chains, including for the people of Tinputz.

Elated locals joined the Department of Technical Services (DTS) of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and the Department of Works and Highways (DoWH) for the official opening.

The purpose of the costing study is to answer the question “What is the cost-of-service delivery in Bougainville”.

National Economic and Fiscal Commission Advisor, Allan Cairns said that through this study NEFC is building on the experience it has got over the past 20 years of doing costing studies for the provinces right across the country.

“NEFC does costing studies for all the provinces in a period of five years intervals excluding the Autonomous Region of Bougainville,” said Cairns.

The election was held to fill a critical seat in the region's parliamentary representation. Francesca Semoso, a candidate from the Pangu Party, emerged as the winner with 13,270 votes. Her victory was officially declared on October 29, 2023, in Buka. This marks a momentous occasion in the region's political landscape.

He said the election of Ms Semoso as North Bougainville MP is a resounding testament to PANGU’s commitment to promoting women's leadership in Papua New Guinea.

Her victory came having secured an impressive 13,270 votes, surpassing her 16 competitors.

This historic win further bolsters PANGU Pati's representation, increasing the party's count to 54 MPs following their triumph with 39 seats in the 2022 National General Election.

 “I congratulate Ms Semoso on behalf of the people of Papua New Guinea, PANGU Pati, and my family. I also thank all other candidates.

Semoso who contested the seat under the Pangu Pati banner polled 14, 851 votes ahead of Lauta Atoi with 13, 482. She was declared on Sunday 29^th October.

Semoso will be the third woman member of the National Parliament after she won the North Bougainville open seat in a by-election.

The MP-elect also becomes the first woman from Bougainville to win a seat in PNG's national parliament.

The by-election followed the sudden death of William Nakin, who had retained the seat but died during the vote count last year.

This follows after a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was executed last Friday between Bou & Ko Limited, a company collectively owned by the Korean investors and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) in collaboration with a local Bougainville Destiny Helpers Foundation (BDHF), who is mandated by ABG in the development and operation of the Bougainville Economic Corridor Project under the Go-PNG’s PPPP.

Its second and third eruptions occurred on the 15th and 17th of July respectively, affecting the local level government areas of Torokina, Wakunai and Kunua, in the respective districts of South, Central and North Bougainville.

The Autonomous Bougainville Government has estimated that the eruption has affected 8,111 people, with heavy ashfall polluting drinking water sources, destroying food gardens and closing schools.

The province over the weekend witnessed the event in Tropicana Vunapope beach front in Kokopo where important delegates representing the country the minister for Defense Win Daki, Commander PNG Defense Force Brigadier Goina, Director National Disaster Center Lusette Mana, Police Commissioner David Manning, Bougainville Affairs Minister Manaseh Makiba, Correctional Service Commissioner and delegates from AROB representing the president led by Peter Tsimalili Jr Bougainville Regional Member and Minister for Internal Security were in the province to witness the event.

May 17 is a gazetted public holiday for the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. The date was originally the date that the late revolutionary leader Francis Ona declared a Unilateral Declaration of Independence for Bougainville.

It has since become Bougainville’s Remembrance Day.

In Arawa Town, Central Bougainville, former commanders of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army gathered to remember and pay tribute to their fallen comrades and those that lost their lives during the 10-year civil war on Bougainville.

The song, Wan Solwara (One Ocean), was created by Adrian Tjupurru Fabila and his son Jake in collaboration with Michael Dave, Ruth Maison, Walter Kerevio, Jolista Masu, Robertha Yansi, and Milton Garea during a visit to Bougainville in September 2022.

Richard Mogu and local sound engineer Melchior Wagum mixed Wan Solwara in Buka, while Wantok Musik sound engineers in Australia handled the mastering.

The project showcases the power of cultural exchange in fostering connections between people and supports Australia's Indigenous diplomacy.