APEC

“Papua New Guinea reaffirms its commitment to the Bogor Goals,” Maru said ina  statement to the APEC ministerial meeting on regional trade and connectivity .  

The Bogar Goals was a resolution passed in 1994 when Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation members met at the Indonesian city of Bogor.

 The goal called for free and open trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, better known as the Bogor Goals, which have since remained the inspirational strength behind APEC's agenda.

Pato when addressing the Asia Pacific Economies Corporation ministers on addressing environmental impacts in Philippines said “the long term focus must be on research of drought resilient crops, food processing and technology and accessibility’’.        

He also proposed for establishment of a regional relief assistance framework for APEC member countries that can find solutions and responses when member states face disasters.       

Pato added that electricity connectivity in the country is a big problem and sharing of knowledge by member APEC countries will help.

The PNGFA team, led by Mr Goodwill Amos, Acting Managing Director, drafted the “Eda Statement” as the MMRF3’s main deliverable. 

The statement expounds APEC’s vision on sustainable forest management; forest conservation and rehabilitation to mitigate climate change; challenges efforts to combat illegal logging and associated trade, and private public dialogue on mechanisms, policies and best practices to attract and maintain suitable investments in the development of forest resources. 

Nearly half of the APEC expenditure will go towards security preparation amounting to K35 million in 2016 alone.

As hosts, PNG will conduct about 180 APEC meetings before the 21 APEC leaders arrive in the country in 2018.

The APEC Forest Ministers meeting which ended last week is the first high level APEC delegate discussion.

Other lead up topics will be on economy, security, energy, trade and investment, infrastructure, etc.

On the other hand, the oil and gas sector, which provided a significant boost to the overall growth in 2014 and 2015, is expected to revert to the trend of natural decline after absorbing the impact of the first LNG production in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

Further supporting growth in 2016 is the anticipated improvement in the global economy.

This will assist commodity prices to improve and stimulate activities in the domestic economy.

Other factors also considered likely to boost activity in 2016 include the preparations for the 2018 APEC meetings.

In releasing the ‘Eda Statement’ in Port Moresby last week, the Third APEC Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry agreed on a range of measures that will strengthen the forestry sector in Papua New Guinea and around the Asia-Pacific.

"Ministers committed to work to increase forest cover in the region by at least 20 million hectares of all types of forests by 2020,” PM O’Neill said following the meeting.

The final recommendation of the 21 APEC ministers responsible for forestry called “Eda Statement” focused on the following key agendas;

•              Supporting Sustainable Forest Management

•              Forest Conservation and Forest Rehabilitation to Mitigate and to Adapt the Impact of Climate Change

•              Challenges in Maintaining and Strengthening Efforts to Combat Illegal Logging and Associated Trade

“Twenty member countries want to see more trees planted,” Tomuriesa revealed to a media conference this afternoon.

“(APEC nations have agreed) to develop more plantations to practice sustainable management resource in the country.”

The Forest Minister said that PNG has the third biggest forest cover in the world and “we must sustain this forest in the long run.”

“Russia has invited us to go and see their model of how young people are taught sustainable forest management at a young age.”

The forest ministers  meeting will end tomorrow.

The PM made this remark when opening the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member countries forest ministers meeting in Port Moresby today.

The forestry sector is one of the major revenue earners for the country and illegal logging is also a lucrative industry.        

“There have been abuses in the past, but we are working to create a more sustainable future.

“We are taking a number of significant steps forward in ensuring forestry sustainability.

The meeting is a lead up to the 2018 APEC leaders meeting.

APEC member nations accounts for half of the world trade.

The are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong-China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States, and Vietnam.