Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister, Rimbink Pato, is currently in Dubai to discuss Expo 2020 and to seek wider involvement of the United Arab Emirates in the nation’s economy.
The Minister is the envoy of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill at the International Participants Meeting (19-20 October) for Expo 2020, which will be held in Dubai from October 2020 to April 2021, and expected to attract 25 million visitors.
Pato said the Expo would not only be the first for the Middle East but would be the most globally diverse, and a showcase of modern technology.
He said PNG was working to contribute via its own pavilion to the success of Expo 2020 and to bring many benefits back home.
“Our presence will increase our nation’s global visibility, highlighting trade, investment and development opportunities in our country,” said the Minister.
“The theme of the Expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, which is in total harmony with PNG’s foreign policy drive to grow connections in a globalising world, an essential move to boost trade and investment as well as development programs.
“We already have a connection with the Middle East via our excellent relationship with Israel, which is active in PNG with its advanced methods of vegetable production, dairy and cattle farming and its capacity training to reduce unemployment.”