Papua New Guinea now has full diplomatic representation in Geneva in Switzerland following the official opening of the Permanent Mission of Papua New Guinea to the United Nations, World Trade Organization (WTO) and other International Organization in Geneva on Thursday 8 May 2025 by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Justin Tkatchenko. The opening of the Mission comes at a milestone year for the country as it prepares to commemorate its 50th Independence anniversary. This momentous occasion was witnessed by diplomats from the Commonwealth Delegation, Pacific Islands and other Small Island States, Papua New Guinea’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations…
Author: Maxine KAMUS
The Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru is calling for an immediate review of import tariffs to give protection to local industries who are struggling to compete against cheap and dumped imports. Minister Maru expressed his deep dissatisfaction with the current way tariff policy is being administered, which he described as being done “unilaterally, discriminatorily and arbitrarily”. The Minister explained that the Tariff Reduction Program (TRP) was an externally imposed condition under the broader structural adjustment program, which began in 1999. “The tariff reduction program was agreed to be implemented with the view to encourage economic efficiency and…
Prime Minister (PM) James Marape, on behalf of the Government and people of Papua New Guinea, has extended heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election as the 267th Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church. PM Marape said the elevation of Pope Leo XIV comes at a time when the world seeks moral clarity, peace, compassion, and hope in the face of many complex challenges. “On behalf of the people of Papua New Guinea, including our vibrant Catholic community, I convey our warmest congratulations to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV on his election to the Papacy. “We…
Digicel PNG makes another bold step to fostering financial inclusion in rural PNG, through a new arrangement between Digicel CellMoni and Kamapim Ltd. This strategic arrangement promises to bring digital financial and payment services to thousands of unbanked Papua New Guineans, particularly women and smallholder farmers who lack access to formal financial services. It will further enable rural producers, many of whom lack identity documents and live far away from banking infrastructures. The access to traditional financial services including sending and receiving money and making secure payments via Digicel CellMoni’s mobile money service. This innovative approach supports Kamapim Ltd’s mission…
The South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO), in partnership with the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA), has released Papua New Guinea’s first Business Confidence Index (BCI) report. This report provides valuable insights into business outlook and tourism recovery, helping guide smarter policies and stronger private sector involvement. PNG is one of 10 Pacific Island nations participating in the PTDI, alongside the Cook Islands, Niue, Kiribati, Samoa, Vanuatu, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, and FSM-Yap. “Funded by the New Zealand Government, PTDI continues to play a key role in strengthening regional tourism strategies through data-driven research, including the bi-annual IVS, the…
The new Austrian Ambassador, Elisabeth Koegler, has met with the Minister for International Trade and Investment Richard Maru, to express Austria’s keen interest to do business with Papua New Guinea (PNG). Ambassador Koegler said Austria’s area of interest in investing in PNG was in downstream processing of forestry, solar, hi-tech industries and hydro. Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over 9 million. It is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, with a nominal per capita GDP of over US$40,000 (2018 est.) and the country has developed a high standard of living, ranking18th…
NCSL Savings and Loan Society Limited has delivered K9.8 million in 2024 interest to its members and eyes bold growth for the future. At its recent board meeting, NCSL announced a profit of K5.5 million for 2024 financial year, resulting in a total of K9.8 million paid in interest to its more than 150,000 members. The Savings and Loan Society said that the K9.8 million comprises of K4.3 million in bonus interest was credited directly to members savings accounts on Monday 5th May 2025, on top of K5.5 million already paid through interim interest. “The 2024 profit reflects NCSL’s resilience…
The introduction of a re-booking fee when a passenger who completes check-in, but fails to board their flight, is more equitable than the previous policy where the ticket was simply cancelled. Air Niugini Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Gary Seddon, said aside from the cost to the airline for a passenger’s failure to board, of significant concern is the flight delay that causes disruptions to other travelers. “The re-booking fee is only a fraction of the actual cost to the airline, but when a passenger fails to board, they cause departure delays and connecting flights can be missed.” “When a…
The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with its partners are currently hosting a training on Illicit Financial Flows and Investigative Journalism for Papua New Guinea Journalists at the Ela Beach Hotel in Port Moresby. The two days of training is led by UNDP Consultant for Ethical and Investigative Journalism Mrs. Tjasa Slokar. The overall goal of the Transparency and Accountability in Papua New Guinea Project, implemented by UNDP Papua New Guinea and funded by the European Union, is to contribute to improving transparency and accountability in the public sector in the national level in Papua New Guinea. This has been…
Prime Minister James Marape officially welcomed the new Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea, His Excellency Ewen Neil McDonald, during a courtesy call at the Office of the Prime Minister in Port Moresby. Prime Minister Marape expressed his appreciation to H.E. McDonald for the meeting and warmly welcomed him to Papua New Guinea, noting the significance of his appointment during a milestone year for the nation. On behalf of the Government and people of Papua New Guinea, PM Marape conveyed his congratulations to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Party on their recent electoral victory. He highlighted…