Prime Minister James Marape returned from New York after attending the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where he delivered a national statement coinciding with PNG’s 50th Independence Anniversary and 50 years of UN membership.

Speaking before world leaders, Marape anchored his message on three pillars: peace through dialogue, urgent climate action, and trade-driven development.

In his UN address, the Prime Minister urged warring nations to embrace dialogue, citing Papua New Guinea’s own history.

“After ten years of civil conflict in Bougainville, we chose dialogue over bullets.”

“Under the United Nations’ oversight, we reached the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement. Twenty-four years on, not a single bullet has been fired.”

Turning to the Middle East, he called on both Israel and Hamas to commit to negotiations.

“To Hamas and to Israel, you have the opportunity to give your people peace.”

“If you want peace, sit at the table together. Peace is always possible if we give it a chance.”

On climate change, Marape issued one of the strongest appeals of the General Debate.

“Our planet is boiling. Unless you have a second planet to run to, we must save the one we have.”

Reaffirming his longstanding stance, Marape told world leaders that PNG seeks partnerships rooted in trade and investment, not aid dependency.

“It is trade, not aid, that will build our economy to sustain 10 million people.”

Marape closed his address by reaffirming faith in multilateralism.

“Some think the United Nations is irrelevant. Papua New Guinea, says the Charter is still relevant.”

“This Assembly remains humanity’s meeting place. It is here that unity in diversity is possible.

“It is here that we preserve peace through dialogue, and it is here that we must save this one planet for all generations.”