United Nations

The event impacted almost 550,000 people, displaced almost 20,000, and destroyed roads, bridges, hospitals, schools and other vital public infrastructure. It increased an already precarious food insecurity situation by damaging garden plots and interrupting water supplies.

Many of the 200 aftershocks measuring between M4.5 and M5.5 caused widespread panic among the affected population and continue to do so.

More than 50,000 square kilometres of indigenous land has been seized using the illegal agriculture leases, as exposed in a 2015 Commission of Inquiry.

Despite many claims it will cancel the leases, the PNG government has been slow to take any steps to reverse the land grab and is still allowing foreign companies to use the stolen land for logging and oil palm planting.

The United Nations and the United States say they stand with journalists and media professionals and condemn any effort to curb media freedom.

In a statement, the UN and US say free press has the power to transform societies and foster economic growth and build the confidence of investors.

“We all depend on it.

Justin Tkatchenko, Minister for Lands & Physical Planning, presented the lease to Gianluca Rampolla, United Nations Resident Coordinator, in a recent ceremony held at the office of Lands Department.

The issuance of the lease is a milestone for the UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes in Papua New Guinea.

The index, published every year by Reporters without Borders, assesses the level of freedom available to journalists.

“Journalists hold people in power to account. They equip us with the knowledge to make decisions affecting our lives. They share stories that offer hope for our future; exposing truths we may otherwise never hear.

“Journalists make great sacrifices to bring us the truth,” said Gianluca Rampolla, UN Resident Coordinator in Papua New Guinea.

She alleged she was offered a promotion if she accepted an apology from the man and claimed that the organisation failed to take her complaint seriously.

In an exclusive interview with CNN, Martina Brostrom accused a UN assistant secretary general, Dr. Luiz Loures, of grabbing her in a hotel elevator, forcibly kissing her and trying to drag her to his room during a conference in 2015. He denies the allegations.

“We are working closely with the Papua New Guinea government to coordinate the earthquake response to ensure that relief supplies and services meet people’s most pressing needs, and reach the communities that need them most,” said UN Resident Coordinator, Gianluca Rampolla.  

The vote was taken during an emergency meeting which was held on Thursday (21/12/2017) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The vote came after threats by the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, who said Washington would remember which countries “disrespected” America by voting against it.

“The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the general assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation.

These journalists, selected from NBC TV/Radio, EMTV, PNGTV, PNGFM, FM100, National, Post-Courier and Wantok Niuspepa, have gone through the week-long training which consisted of a series of practical sessions on research, interviewing, data mining, writing, and the application of ethics and values of journalism.

“The United Nations in Papua New Guinea values the media and journalists as key influencers and as vital catalysts to inform people,” said Roy Trivedy, the UN resident coordinator in Papua New Guinea.

Richard Maru, Minister for National Planning and Monitoring, officiated at the launch on Tuesday, October 24, during the commemoration of the 72nd Anniversary of the United Nations.

“The Department of National Planning and Monitoring, in close consultation with other departments, and with support from the United Nations, is adapting the Sustainable Development Goals to our local context,” said Minister Maru during his keynote speech.