PNG is keen and interested to increase its numbers in the labour mobility program that New Zealand offers, says Minister for Foreign Affairs, Justin Tkatchenko.
He stated this during the meet with the New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carmel Sepuloni.
“We note Samoa's concern of skilled shortages it experienced, which resulted in it suspending its participation in the programme at the moment. However, for PNG we have a lot of semi-skilled youth population that we want to utilize under this programme,” Minister Tkatchenko stated.
Following discussions with the RSE stakeholders in Auckland last week, PNG will offer 1000 workers to help New Zealand with their labour shortage currently faced.
Both ministers acknowledged the shared interest in reviving the Foreign Service Training Programme which the Department of Foreign Affairs have greatly benefited from.
The shared interest is to build the capacity and professionalism of diplomatic tradecraft as the Department undergoes it's restructure this year.
Meantime, Tkatchenko informed Sepuloni on the security arrangements that PNG is currently entering into with its transitional partners and their allies Australia, United States, Solomon Islands, France and Indonesia which are geared towards achieving the government's priorities of a secure and economic resilient nation.