Future economic growth will rely on unlocking the potential of other sectors and developing a modern economy through the effective use of information and communication technology (ICT).
Senior Officials’ Meeting Chair, Ivan Pomaleu, told delegates during the opening of the 57th Meeting of the APEC Telecommunication and Information Working Group in Port Moresby yesterday.
Pomaleu said in PNG, the ICT environment is currently less developed than in many of the APEC economies.
However, he stated the Government recognises that ICT has the potential to drive significant economic growth in PNG, delivering great benefits to citizens and transforming the delivery of government services.
He told the delegates that the new international submarine cable between Port Moresby and Sydney, which is currently in the scoping stage, is expected to significantly improve international connectivity.
Pomaleu also told delegates that a domestic submarine cable linking Port Moresby to 11 towns in the country, with an interconnection to Indonesia – which is also in the planning stage – is expected to improve connectivity and backhaul availability around PNG.
Working together to ‘bridge the digital divide’ that currently exists in our economies is the way forward, stressed Pomaleu.
He added that the national policies and legal frameworks across APEC economies need to be harmonized to enable cross border transactions and trade as well as collaboration.