Following the meeting with Charge d’Affaires Mr. Alex Berengberg of the U.S. Embassy in Port Moresby, Prime Minister (PM) James Marape has welcomed continued cooperation with the United States.
The meeting yesterday was aimed at strengthening bilateral relationship between the countries in key areas including fuel security, disaster response, and long-term infrastructure development.
Prime Minister, Marape, acknowledged the United States’ continued support during the current global crisis.
“The United States has indicated they are working closely with Fuel Importers to ensure supply into Papua New Guinea remains stable, and they stand ready to support us through this period,” Prime Minister Marape said.
He further welcomed the U.S to working closely with regional and international partners in supporting the disaster relief and restoration efforts following the devastating impacts of Tropical Cyclone (TC), Malia.
“They have conveyed that additional assistance will be made available as we provide further advice on priority areas for support,” he added.
Marape highlighted the PNG government’s long-term priorities, including restoring affected coastal communities.
“We are looking at long-term solutions to better connect our island communities through transport and digital infrastructure, while also building resilience against climate and weather-related challenges,” he said.
Further on energy cooperation, Marape mentioned continued dialogue under the PNG-US Defense Cooperation Agreement including Fuel Storage and Supply capacity.
He stressed Papua New Guinea’s strong partnership with the United States across development, security, and economic cooperation.
Also covered in the meeting were cooperation efforts on Visa and Migration matters; with the U.S. stating it remains ready to assist Papua New Guineans, subject to their internal processes.
The PNG Government will soon formally engage development partners alongside the United States, Marape said. These collaborations would provide target support for disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts to ensure affected families and communities across the country are better protected and are more resilient to future disasters.
