Australia and PNG have agreed to close the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre in the near future.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill when meeting his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull during the 24th PNG-Australia Ministerial Forum discussed progress in processing asylum seeker claims and the refugee resettlement program.
O’Neill said the processing of asylum seeker claims takes time, and both sides are working to see the centre closed in the future.
“It has served the purpose to stop people smuggling and the loss of life at sea, and at the appropriate time it will close.
“Asylum seekers who are not deemed to be legitimate refugees are leaving our country.
“Those deemed as legitimate refugees, and who are willing to make a contribution to our nation have the opportunity to stay. There are refugees with skills and who are of good character that will want to help our people.”
Meanwhile, Planning Minister Charles Abel told Loop PNG this afternoon that he is happy with the decision the Prime Minister had taken to close down the centre in the near future.
Abel said as the situation settles down and where there are fewer refugees at the centre, the government will close the centre.
Since 2013 Manus has been hosting hundreds of asylum seekers who attempted to reach Australia before being intercepted by its naval forces and transferred to Manus for processing.