papua new guinea

This was announced by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Justin Tkatchenko today before his travel to Indonesia.

Minister is concerned with these outstanding issues and aims to ratify long overdue corporation, agreements and treaties over the next coming months.

“We have officially passed the Reciprocal Visa Arrangements between Papua New Guinea and Indonesia so those that have a Diplomatic Passport or Official Passport can get Visa on arrival here in PNG and also in Indonesia.

The long outstanding Border Agreement was reviewed three times with the latest review in 2013. Minister Tkatchenko on Wednesday 15th of March Parliament sitting, successfully rectified the process.

The ratification will pave the way for both governments to review the current status of the border and constructively address outstanding issues that affect both countries.

After last month’s announcement for the Australia Visa Office move to Port Moresby, Foreign Affairs Minister, Justin Tkatchenko today announced that the Visa Office will be established in the coming months.

This will make life easier for travel to and from the two countries, Minister Tkatchenko said that his aim is to work on outstanding issues in the department as well as better the relationship with partners and neighbours.

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.

The encounter was prior to the Special Leaders' Retreat where Minister Tkatchenko offered PNG's support to New Zealand following the extreme disaster caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.

“We will send our PNGDF to support New Zealand with clean up exercises, if required,” said Minister Tkatchenko.

Sepuloni acknowledged PNG's offer of support and said; “New Zealand is used to offering support to other Pacific Island countries in times of need and to receive that in return is indeed overwhelming.”

He says under Prime Minister Rabuka, Fiji has afformed the reopening of this office.

“We indicated, offering land and assistance towards building their permanent office here in PNG,” said PM Marape.

He added, “There was a request made for reciprocal give of land, and Prime Minister Rabuka did indicate looking for a land in Suva for a mission to be established there.”

“Those reciprocal commitments were made.”

PM Marape says by mid-year, a Fijians ambassador or high commissioner will take up post in Port Moresby.

As he acknowledged the warm hospitality, PM Marape assured PM Rabuka that he had Papua New Guinean’s support both as Prime Minister and current Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum.

“Much of the Pacific’s future is in the hands of both PNG and Fiji,” said PM Marape as he reflected on the relationship between both countries forged by their great leaders Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and Great Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, which both countries enjoy today.

Both great leaders were honoured in a friendly Golf match, the “Ratu Mara-Somare” Cup.

Key points:

• PNG's prime minister announced the release of a female hostage
• An Australian is still being held in remote bushland along with two other locals
• The kidnappers are demanding a ransom for their release

PNG's Prime Minister James Marape has announced the release of the woman, while calling for the criminals to set free the remaining hostages.

Prime Minister James Marape made this announcement on Sunday, Feb 19, 2023 and said FEED is the process for conceptual development of projects in processing such as Papua LNG.

“The two major resource projects of Papua LNG and Wafi-Golpu have not been progressed substantially for more than 20 years with their known resources, but we are now making big strides to get the projects developed,” he said.

He stated this during a bilateral meeting with Australian counterpart Trade Minister, Don Farrell in Australia at the margins of the PNG-Australia Ministerial Forum recently. 

The 29th PNG-Australia Ministerial Forum was convened on the back of the historic visit by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to PNG.