APEC 2018

'Voices of the Future' participants tour PNG LNG Plant

This was near Port Moresby on Wednesday, 14th November.

The students, aged 16 to 30, were selected for their potential as future leaders of their economies. They are in PNG to attend APEC Leaders’ Week and witness first hand decision making at the highest level. Of the participants from Papua New Guinea, six are currently employed with ExxonMobil PNG.

They networked with management and the operations and maintenance staff responsible for operating the LNG Plant.

APEC Ministerial Meeting underway

Officially opening the meeting, PNG’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Rimbink Pato, told the international delegation that today’s meeting is to prepare their final plans and their onward communication not only for the APEC economies and their people but also to the world.

“Fellow Ministers, it comes to us to fulfil our role as political representatives of our governments and citizen.

“The role is to stand on the platforms prepared by our officials and to finalise the plans and vision for which this APEC meeting will be remembered,” said Minister Pato.

USS Green Bay anchors off Ela Beach

The ship, made up of over 100 marines, including Marine Light Attack Helicopter squad onboard and navy crews, arrived in Port Moresby on Tuesday morning, after 10 days at sea from their home base in Sasebo, Japan.

The USS Green Bay (Landing Platform Deck 20), is named after the City of Green Bay, Wisconsin, the smallest city to host an American Football team, and is the only team to be owned by its fans.

It has also been used for humanitarian missions in providing aid like it did after the South Asian Tsunami in 2004.

APEC objectives yet to reach rural populace: CBC

Though APEC is here and will still proceed despite staunch opposition, the Catholic Church is questioning what plans the government has for the rural populace after APEC 2018.

“We share the concerns of many people in PNG about the huge amount of our limited resources being used which seems to entertain and impress the rich and powerful. Given its inevitability, we can only hope for success,” said Bishop Rochus Tatamai, President of CBC of PNGSI.

Korea donates 100 flat screen TVs

A small but significant ceremony was held at the APEC Haus on October 17th.

Minister for APEC Justin Tkatchenko and APEC PNG Director General Sir Charles Lepani were on hand to receive the Samsung televisions from the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Papua New Guinea, Kang Kym-gu.

Minister Tkatchenko said the televisions will be placed at strategic locations inside the APEC Haus to telecast to participants what is happening during the Summit meetings.

No strategic political gain: Chinese envoy

These were the remarks of Chinese Ambassador to PNG, Xue Bing, when handing over vehicles that will be used during the APEC meet.

The international Convention Center, Independence Boulevard, Poreporena Freeway upgrade, UOG, K300m ANGAU hospital upgrade, Kokopo sewerage projects and many others are projects funded either by grants or concessional funding by China.

PNG is the biggest recipient of Chinese Aid in the Pacific region and has consistently held a one-China policy over the years which will continue, says Minister for National Planning, Richard Maru.

K56.3m spent on APEC

This is from a drawdown of approximately K74.5 million.

Minister for APEC, Justin Tkatchenko, revealed this during his address to Parliament last Wednesday on APEC preparations.

Tkatchenko said of the remaining K18.2 million remaining from the K74.5 million drawdown, K5.5 million has already been committed awaiting payment.

He said the country was now in the business end of the APEC year and this would require a budget of over K120 million.

PNG is ready: Lupari

Chief Secretary to Government, Isaac Lupari, when addressing hundreds of APEC staff and officials at the International Convention Centre, confidently said PNG is ready to deliver the 3rd Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM3) and related meetings after having successfully delivered SOMs 1&2.

Chief Secretary told APEC staff that many people doubted that PNG was ready and able to host APEC in 2018.

Why APEC matters for PNG

This was the statement by Carlos Kuriyama, Senior Analyst at the APEC Secretariat in Singapore.

Carlos Kuriyama was one of the three panelists at the APEC Discussion Series at UPNG this week.

The theme of the event was ‘Why APEC matters for PNG?’, where Papua New Guineans joined local and international APEC experts for a dialogue on the importance of hosting the region’s premier economic forum.

PNG will deliver beyond expectations: Lupari

Lupari said hosting of APEC would provide a greater opportunity for PNG to promote and market its investment destination.

In a debriefing of 2nd Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM2) and Related Meetings recently, Lupari expressed his gratitude towards all the Government agencies that have taken lead during SOM2 and urged them to continue to work together in delivering APEC 2018.