Four senior public officials have been commissioned to represent Papua New Guinea in overseas missions in Australia and New Zealand.
The appointees are Sakias Tameo, High Commissioner to New Zealand; Ponabe Yuwa, Consul General to Sydney; Reatau Rau, Consul General to Brisbane; and Damien Arabagali, Consul General to Cairns.
They were commissioned in an official ceremony at the Central Government Office and delivered their charges by Minister for State Assisting the Prime Minister, Justin Tkatchenko.
The wives and family of the four senior officers were present to witness this significant occasion.
In delivering their charges, Minister Tkatchenko said, “It’s a very important role you play. Your actions and what you do, in the country that you’ll be going to will show everybody else, how good we are here in PNG and the importance we place on you to upstand integrity and diplomacy in the country that you serve.”
Tkatchenko added that the roles of the newly commissioned four officials will be to strengthen and enhance relations between Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.
“Make it bigger and better than it’s ever been before. So far, we have done very very well. And our relationship with both New Zealand and Australia has never been as strong as it is right now.”
New Zealand High Commissioner Sakia Tameo is optimistic about taking up this post.
“At our respective posts, we will certainly engage with Australia and New Zealand and other development partners, to secure much-needed support and contribute to the development of our country.”
“New Zealand is an important development partner. They are contributing in a lot of ways to the development of our country in areas such as education, agriculture, infrastructure, energy, defence and security, and of course, they are involved in a lot of activities in Bougainville.
“Whilst strengthening Papua New Guinea's relations in these areas, I'd like to let you know that I will be proactive and I will undertake certain initiatives that will deepen and elevate Papua New Guinea's relations with New Zealand.”
Mr Tameo assured and pledged on behalf of his counterparts Yuwa, Rau and Arabagali, their collective commitment to the national government that they represent the people of Papua New Guinea well in their roles.