Despite cost of operation challenges, the Lihir Gold Limited on Lihir Island in New Ireland province has paid a healthy Corporate Income Tax to the State. Lihir Gold Limited, is a subsidiary of Newmont Corporation and has paid K230, 876, 334 to the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) yesterday, Wednesday 30th July. Meanwhile, Prime Minister James Marape commends the good outcome of the operation at Lihir Gold Limited and appreciates this payment to the State. "Such revenues are critical to our government's efforts to invest in infrastructure, education, health and rural development especially as we mark our 50th year of independence," says Prime Minister Marape. "This is the type of partnership we want with the resource sector- one that delivers for both shareholders and citizens." Prime Minister Marape also commends Newmont Corporation for demonstrating a great willingness to cooperate with the government since assuming control of the mine. Meanwhile, the announcement of the Corporate Income Tax payment was done at the PNG RESOURCE WEEK Resource Summit today at the APEC Haus, Port Moresby city.

The 2025 Community Affairs and National Content Conference and Exhibition (CANCONEX) held as a part of the PNG Resource Week has wrapped up as of yesterday, but perhaps what was significant were the six key takeaways from it to further look at. The six strategic takeaways are the formalizing landowner identification frameworks, scaling community-based enterprise models, improving transparency in benefit management, strengthening workforce development for women and youth, fostering long-term employment strategies, and elevating CANCONEX as a central forum for shaping national content policy. From these, three core priorities were identified: empowering landowner-led enterprise development, ensuring inclusive benefit distribution, and building systems for intergenerational transformation. Reflecting on the week’s momentum, PNG CORE Senior Vice President Mr. Richard Kassman said, “CANCONEX is not a side event, it is the heart of our national conversation on inclusive development. It brings together the voices that matter most: landowners, provincial leaders, and communities whose futures are directly tied to the resource sector. This is where policy meets people, and where real progress begins.” The conference was officially opened by Prime Minister James Marape at the start of the week, whose keynote address reaffirmed the government’s commitment to inclusive development and responsible resource management. His presence set a strong tone for the week, highlighting the transformative role of the resource sector in building schools, hospitals, roads, and livelihoods across Papua New Guinea. Hosted by the PNG Chamber of Resources and Energy (PNG CORE), CANCONEX 2025 brought together over 1,400 delegates, 78 exhibitors, and 60 speakers representing national and provincial governments, landowner leaders, resource developers, civil society, and the broader business community. Meanwhile, the Resource Week continues today with the Resources Summit-a high level dialogue on finance, policy, infrastructure, and innovation-and the Gala Dinner featuring the Legacy Awards, which will honour excellence and leadership across the resource sector. These events will carry forward the spirit of CANCONEX, ensuring that technical discussions remain grounded in the human stories and community impact that define Papua New Guinea’s development journey.

The Autonomous Region of Bougainvillea is open to investors to partner in the development of its massive resource sector as the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) progresses towards achieving its independence from Papua New Guinea (PNG). Speaking at the 2025 PNG Resource Week CANCONEX at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby on Tuesday 29th July was the ABG Chief Secretary Mr. Kearnneth Nanei who represented President Ishmael Toroama, where he extended this invitation saying that the mining sector to energy, business, agriculture and fisheries remain untapped. “Bougainville currently holds significant mineral and natural resource potentials, from cold and copper to renewable energy and fisheries,” said Mr. Nanei. “For decades these resources remain largely untapped or under-utilized due to conflict, insecurity or lack of infrastructure. Today we are changing that narrative. “The Autonomous Bougainville Government has taken important steps to establish a stable legal regulatory environment for investments." In terms of the mining sector, he said Bougainville is now working to manage its own activities. “Through the Bougainville Mining Act 2015, and the Bougainville Mining Regulation 2016, the ABG now holds full jurisdiction over mining and exploration activities on the island.” “This is consistent with Section 296 of the Papua New Guinea Constitution which states that national law continues to apply in Bougainville until they are replaced by Bougainville laws.” “So, in Bougainville we have the Bougainville mining act that provides the legal framework for regulating the mining industry.” On the energy front, he said there is the Bougainville Energy Policy and Strategic Energy Action Plan 2023 to 2033, which sets out the vision for clean, affordable and community led energy solutions. “As we look forward into the future, we invite responsible investors, development partners and resource companies to engage with us.”

The National Content in the extractive resource sector is not just a government policy, it’s a pathway for inclusive development and sustainable growth. This fact was stressed by Dr. Anita Togolo, who is the Country Manager for Erias Group PNG- a leading specialist environmental and social consultancy with teams in both Papua New Guinea and Australia. The Erias Group delivered more than sixty (60) projects across PNG, employing and training local scientists and specialists. Dr. Togolo, who is from both Bougainville and Australia and is a senior Social Scientist and Communities and Social impact Specialist with a PhD in Anthropology, spoke at the 2025 Papua New Guinea Resource Week CANCONEX in Port Moresby city. She delivered her presentation reflecting on the evolution of national content in PNG’s extractive resources sector, drawing on her own doctoral research and professional experience, the perspectives of colleagues as well as relevant academic and industrial incites. She said at its core, national content is about ensuring that resource projects deliver real and lasting value to the country’s economy. A national content policy refers to a framework that sets requirements for the sourcing of materials and manufacturing of goods within a country. It aims to promote local production and reduce reliance on imported goods, thereby fostering economic growth and job creation. “It goes beyond expectation, it’s about building skills, creating jobs, strengthening local business and transferring knowledge and technology,” said Dr. Togolo. “When done well, national content policies can help drive inclusive development and long-term benefits, not just during project construction, but across the life cycle of the resource sector.” She said the National Content implementation in PG has evolved gradually over the past fifty (50) years to cater for provisions for landowner engagements and benefit sharing; hence, the evolution of landowner companies (Lancos). “For companies investing in PNG’s people and partnership, it is not just right but smart.” “For the government, it requires consistent support and real implementations and for all of us, it’s a shared responsibility.

NiuSky Pacific Limited (NSPL) has confirmed that a major internal power outage was the cause of the Air Traffic Control radar and tracking systems being temporarily down on Monday afternoon, disrupting a lot of flights in the process. After conducting its own initial investigation, it was concluded that the disruption was triggered by a failure in the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), leading to the complete loss of the following systems. Air Traffic Management System (ATMS) All radio communications (VHF/HF) Surveillance systems (Radar and ADS-B) Telephone and intercom lines Computer Aided Aeronautical Data and Alerting System (CADAS) Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) As a direct result, Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Flight Information Services (FIS) were temporarily unavailable. Upon identification of the outage, all ATS Units across the country, including Jacksons, Nadzab, Mount Hagen, Tokua, Goroka, and Madang, were immediately notified to halt all departures. Despite the outage, three arriving domestic flights were safely managed using manual fallback procedures and backup radio systems, with all aircraft safely separated and guided to landing. For international overflying traffic, ATC separation was maintained based on the last communicated positions. Adjacent Flight Information Region (FIR) centres in Brisbane and Oakland were promptly notified, and TIBA (Traffic Information Broadcast by Aircraft) procedures were activated to ensure continued safety in affected airspace. "The NSPL Executive Management coordinated the response and informed the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of PNG (CASAPNG), National Airports Corporation (NAC), and relevant airline operators of the situation," said NiuSky Pacific. "By 1500hrs, all affected systems were restored and ATS services resumed normal operations. TIBA procedures were cancelled accordingly. However, issuance of NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) was not possible during the outage due to the unavailability of CADAS." NSPL deeply regrets the inconvenience caused and commends its operational teams for their swift and safe management of the situation under contingency procedures. An internal investigation into the root cause of the UPS failure is currently underway, and steps are being taken to ensure system resilience and prevent recurrence.

There was a scare in the skies yesterday when aircrafts found themselves flying blind due to a temporary outage of the Air Traffic Control radar and tracking systems in Port Moresby and Mt. Hagen cities, managed by NiuSky Pacific. The national airline Air Niugini confirmed this incident in a statement released on Monday evening, stating that Niusky Pacific is conducting investigations into the outage that resulted in disruptions to some flight operations in the afternoon. The systems were later restored at 3:25pm. “The safety of our passengers and crew remain our utmost priority throughout the period. Air Niugini's operational teams worked closely with NiuSky Pacific to monitor the situation and implement contingency measures, ensuring that safety was not compromised,” Air Niugini stated. Five flights into and out of Port Moresby city experienced delays and cancellations, primarily those scheduled during the late afternoon. All other flights resumed promptly following the restoration of the radar and tracking systems. “Air Niugini appreciates the patience and understanding of our valued customers. We remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and reliability in our operations.”

People accessing health facilities in the East Sepik Province (ESP) can expect access to clean water and sanitation thanks to the continuous support from the Coca Cola Foundation, supporting the WaSH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programmes in the province. Communities and healthcare facilities will significantly benefit from increased access to safe water as the result of a three-year, USD 1.3 million grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation to WaterAid Papua New Guinea. This support should alleviate the water related issues says Anne-Marie Paul, Country Director at WaterAid PNG. “WaSH-related diseases significantly impact PNG’s weak health system, increasing morbidity and mortality, exacerbating child malnutrition, reducing educational attainment and workforce participation and imposing economic burdens at both household and national levels,” said Anne-Marie. “Water security in Wewak is further compromised by high dependence on rainwater harvesting, but it is insufficient to meet community needs during the dry season and worsened by climate change, droughts and unpredictable rainfall. As a result, many communities turn to unsafe traditional sources—such as shallow, unprotected dug wells—which are highly susceptible to microbiological contamination.” She says WaSH access in healthcare facilities is also extremely low with the large majority not meeting basic WaSH service levels. “Adequate WaSH access in healthcare facilities is essential for patient safety and the quality of healthcare outcomes, particularly for pregnant women and newborns.” She says the project funded by The Coca-Cola Foundation’s most recent grant aims to improve access to safe, clean and sustainable water supply in a number of communities in Wewak district. Around 1,300 residents will benefit from upgraded water services and sustained behaviour change initiatives. “It will also significantly improve patient and healthcare access to water supply at larger district hospitals which see over 5,700 users a month. In addition, it will enhance the capacity and effectiveness of the East Sepik Provincial WaSH Committee to inform and scale WaSH systems across other districts. Papua New Guinea faces a severe WaSH crisis, with some of the lowest access rates globally. The situation is even more critical in Wewak district, East Sepik province, where more than 53% of rural communities do not have access to an improved water supply, contributing to the transmission of preventable diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery and typhoid. Meanwhile, the Coca-Cola Foundation has supported WaSH (water, sanitation, and hygiene) programmes in East Sepik province for the past three years, providing USD 582,000 worth of grants for projects since 2022.

Over 140 new police recruits will commence their six (6) months training today Monday 28th July at the National Center of Excellence (NCoE) at Bomana just outside the city of Port Moresby. Over the weekend recruits from all four provinces of the Momase Region, the Oro province and Western province arrived at the Jackson's Domestic terminal on Saturday while the rest from Port Moresby along with Central and Gulf provinces joined them on Sunday. According to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RNGC), this group makes up the first batch for 2025. A formal handover of the recruits was done at NCoE, Bomana, where the Officer in Charge for Recruitment Inspector Elisha Walaget handed over their Duplicate Record of Service (DRS) Files to the Director of Training, Superintendent Charlie Sare. Meanwhile, the list for those shortlisted from the Highlands and New Guinea Islands Regions for the second batch will be published on the RPNGC’s Official website once the list is finalized. The Recruitment Process for the second batch will commence in October or November 2025 to assess those shortlisted and recruit the successful candidates for training. The second batch is likely to come in for training in the first quarter of 2026 once the recruitment process is completed. "A call-out for the 2026 Recruitment will be advertised in December 2025 and we encourage those interested in joining the next recruitment to prepare their documents and stay informed by regularly checking the RPNGC’s Official website and Facebook page for recruitment announcement," stated the RPNGC.

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is looking at forging a new relationship with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in an expected historic agreement signing in September 2025. The Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru, made this announcement in a press conference this afternoon in Port Moresby city, stating that it will start the country’s new journey fifty (50) years onwards. “Papua New Guinea will finally break into the Arab world through the United Arab Emirates by entering into a new diplomatic and trade and investment partnership in a scale and scope never undertaking by PNG with its bilateral partners over the last 50 years,” said Minster Maru. “Not only is the UAE keen on supporting the PNG Government to establish an embassy in Abu Dhabi to formalize diplomatic relationship, but they want to anchor the relationship on trade and investment by entering into a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with PNG. This was sealed during the recent visit of a small trade delegation to Abu Dhabi by Minister Maru last week. During the two-day visit, Minister Maru had high- level bilateral meetings with the UAE’s Minister for Foreign Trade, His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, and UAE’s Minsiter of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi. Meanwhile, Secretary of the Department of International Trade and Investment, Jacinta Warakai Manua said these agreements are expected to be signed by the 3rd of September, are the Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (IPPA) and the Air Service Agreement (ASA) between PNG and UAE. The IPPA and ASA Agreements are prerequisites for a CEPA to be signed between PNG and UAE and the establishment of a PNG Embassy in Abu Dhabi. This is so both countries can demonstrate their genuineness and commitment to enter into long- term partnership. “The UAE is keen to sign the CEPA with PNG before the end of this year; however, this will only eventuate after the prolonged IPPA and ASA,” said Minister Maru. He also made it clear that the draft agreements are currently on the PNG side for their comments. As such, he is calling on the key departments responsible including the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of International Trade and Investment, Department of Transport, Investment Promotion Authority (IPA) and the National Trade Office to finalize the Draft text of the Agreements in the next two weeks so the signing can eventual on September 3rd during the conclusion of the upcoming 2nd PNG Special Economic Zone Summit.

More than eighty (80) cocoa farmers in the Pomio District of East New Britain (ENB) province are now able to handle their finances better after going through a recent weeklong Financial Literacy Retail Training. This weeklong training which ran from the 21st to 26th June, was delivered a the Pomio Local Level Government (LLG) Chamber of Commerce. It was part of a community development initiative aimed at strengthening economic resilience and sustainable farming practices. The training was part of a collaborative effort between the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the GEF-7 FOLUR Project. “The training was a direct follow-up to a Training Needs Analysis conducted in February 2025. That analysis helped identify the learning gaps in the local communities and enabled the development of tailored materials suited to the educational needs of rural farmers,” CEFI said in a statement. The training targeted communities from Marmar, Sali, Pomio, Galuwe, Olaipun 1, and Olaipun 2. Participants were divided into three batches over the course of the week. A total of 83 individuals were trained including 34 women, with each batch attending seven core sessions. These sessions covered topics such as budgeting, saving, investing in farming, tracking cash flow, and accessing financial services. The objective of the programme was to empower farmers to take control of their finances by reflecting on their spending habits, creating family and farm savings plans, and practicing basic record-keeping. Participants also explored how savings could be reinvested into their farms and how to identify appropriate financial services and loan opportunities. The training has been welcomed as an important step forward in equipping rural farmers with practical skills to improve their livelihoods and contribute to long-term community development and has laid a solid foundation for more sustainable financial decision-making and farming practices promoting inclusive economic participation across the Pomio District.

Prime Minister James Marape has wrapped up his very successful visit to Japan, assuring investors that Papua New Guinea (PNG) continues to be a trusted investment destination. Prime Minister Marape gave this assurance during his last engagement, which was the PNG Mining Seminar, themed “Investing in Impact”, in Tokyo. He assured Japanese investors that PNG offers a stable, resource-rich, and democratic business environment, with a proven track record of supplying global markets over the past 40 years. He highlighted future opportunities in: Wafi-Golpu and Frieda River Mines, Long-term copper and gold production from Ok Tedi, and Renewable energy, clean tech, and agriculture. “We’ve never failed to deliver on our mining and energy contracts — and we never will. PNG is a trusted partner, and our resources will be there for the long haul,” he said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Marape’s visit to Japan, not only celebrated 50 years of PNG–Japan relations but also charted the next 50 years of collaboration. He said with over K6 billion in past investments, increasing trade volumes, and growing people-to-people ties, Japan remains a foundational partner in PNG’s journey toward a K200 billion economy by 2030. The visit, which spanned key engagements in Osaka and Tokyo, showcased deepening cooperation in trade, investment, fisheries, energy, education, and infrastructure — and reaffirmed Japan’s role as one of PNG’s most enduring and strategic partners. “Our partnership with Japan is built on trust and mutual respect. As we celebrate 50 years of friendship, we are planting seeds for the next 50 years — a future of prosperity, sustainability, and shared progress,” Marape concluded.

The first of its kind Papua New Guinea (PNG) Mining Seminar was hosted in Japan recently where the vast opportunities in the country’s mining sector were presented to potential investors from Japan. It was a milestone event co- hosted by Ok Tedi where Prime Minister James Marape and Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru both addressed the sixty (60) person strong audience, consisting of Japanese smelter partners, industry peers and interested investors. Ok Tedi Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)Mr. Kedi Ilimbit, who presented at the seminar on the mutual benefits of the PNG–Japan relationship, shared his vision for the future of mining in PNG. “This seminar marks a new chapter in our relationship with Japan—a country that has stood by Papua New Guinea for decades. We are proud to host this historic event and invite Japanese investors to walk with us into a future of shared prosperity,” Mr. Ilimbit said. “Ok Tedi is not just a mining company—we are a catalyst for change. We invest in growth, but we also invest in people, in communities, and in the future of our nation.” Ok Tedi Mining Limited positioned itself as the partner of choice for Japanese investors seeking long term, socially impactful ventures to support. “Papua New Guinea is a land of opportunity. Our resources are vast, our people are resilient, and our potential is still largely untapped. We welcome partners who share our values and our vision,” said Ilimbit. Kumul Minerals Managing Director Sarimu Kanu also attended the seminar and presented on the theme, "Partnering to Build PNG Mines". Key themes of the seminar included: Japan’s enduring partnership with PNG, built on decades of trust and trade. PNG’s untapped potential in mining and infrastructure. Social impact and inclusive growth, with Ok Tedi leading the way. Strategic investment opportunities for Japanese stakeholders. The event was proudly co-hosted by Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), whose support reflects Japan’s strategic interest in PNG’s resource sector and the importance of regional cooperation for mutual growth.