The recent signing of the AUD$480million (PGKK1.5 billion) maritime infrastructure contract is Australia’s single biggest maritime investment in Papua New Guinea.
Australian High Commissioner, Jon Philp said this during the contract signing by the two governments for the rehabilitation of ports Infrastructure for the next 30 years.
The contract was signed at the APEC Haus to support the MOA signed in June 2021.
“This is a key milestone in our relationship between the two countries. In 2020, Prime Minister Marape and Prime Minister Morrison signed a new comprehensive strategic and economic partnership. We call the CSEP. It sets out the vision for Australia and PNG want to achieve together, committing us to elevating in already strong close ties,” said High Commissioner Philp.
He added that strengthening the infrastructure of PNG is a central pillar of the PNG Australia partnership in particular strong priority for the government of PNG and Prime Minister James Marape. Australia supports a wide range of infrastructure including; electrification, roads, aviation, telecommunications, health, education, and markets.
“Those ports are major gateways to transportation to distribution to PNG‘s imports and exports. Your ports are the closest ports in any country to Australia so it is important to us, and make no mistake, this is investment we considered in both our countries interests,” he added.
High Commissioner Philp emphasized that by volume and by value, ports distribute the highest amount of goods into, out of and around PNG compared to any other transport modes even roads.
“On June 2021 we were incredibly pleased to be able to sign an MOU with PNG Ports and the PNG government to expand our partnership with PNG in the maritime infrastructure sector. We’ve working since then with the PNG Ports Corporation to design and prepare for the priority upgrades of PNG’s ports existing infrastructure,” he said.