APEC Leaders’ Summit

“We are ready, quietly but surely, let there be no doubt, that the Papua New Guinea Defence Force is truly ready and we are capable of supporting the police and other line security agencies in supporting the overall security effort to deliver the APEC,” says Chief of Joint Operations, Col. Esekia Wenzel.

The Special Forces is ready, with two battalions stationed at the borders as well as conduct searches of security threat.

In a statement, Commander of NCD/Central Assistant Commissioner, Donald Yamasombi, said as part of this special security operation, he is anticipating the re-engagement of all volunteer reservists based in NCD to help increase the city’s police manpower strength.

ACP Yamasombi said the volunteers comprised of mostly affectionate and dedicated citizens from within the public and public sectors.

“They were previously known to have used their spare time to do police work outside of their normal employment,” he said.

This year will see the hosting of the APEC Leaders’ Summit in PNG and the PNG Defence Force is expected to play a significant role in ensuring that security and the environment is conducive for 21 APEC world leaders.

This was reiterated in the PNGDF Commander’s keynote address in yesterday’s mass.

Brigadier-General Gilbert Toropo said: “It is in my view that as we start 2018, we commit the year to God as you and I know our calling is to serve our government and to serve our people.”

PM O’Neill has offered to work closely with Vietnam when it hosts APEC in 2017, which is immediately before Papua New Guinea hosts APEC in 2018, and Vietnam’s President has confirmed he will attend the APEC Leaders’ Summit in Port Moresby.

The two leaders met as part of the APEC Leaders Week in Lima, Peru, last weekend where they further discussed co-operation in agricultural skills and development, and the prospect of establishing a Papua New Guinea Embassy in Hanoi.