Prime Minister Peter O'Neill welcomes Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Mr O'Neill in his welcome speech said PNG and Japan have and continue to enjoy a strong and diverse relationship over the last 40 years, based on mutual trust and friendship.
'Your visit is the first by a Prime Minister of Japan for some time, and it follows closely on my visit to Japan recently to welcome the vessel carrying the first export shipment of LNG from Papua New Guinea.
The fact our first LNG shipment had Japan as its destination was surely appropriate – given the very wide ranging trade, investment and business relationship between Papua New Guinea and Japan in the almost 40 years since our Independence.
The development of our gas-to-liquids industry has a direct Japanese involvement. JX Nippon Oil and Gas Exploration is a valued partner is our first gas development – the PNG LNG Project.
The first early shipment of gas was purchased by Tokyo Electric Power Company –TEPCO.
The other direct involvement of significant Japanese enterprises as partners Chiyoda in construction, and customers Osaka Gas, in the development of our substantial gas resources is warmly welcomed by our government, by the other project partners, and by the people of Papua New Guinea.
I want to thank you, Prime Minister, for the support your government, and your energy sector, has given to the pioneering project.
This support is wholly consistent with the strong Papua New Guinea – Japan relationship.
Your visit will further strengthen our relationship, and I want to use this occasion to encourage your industries, and your businesses, to continue investing in Papua New Guinea.
This is a good time to invest in Papua New Guinea, and enter into joint ventures and other forms of collaboration, with our own growing private sector.
We welcome additional investment in our resource sector but we also need new and added investment in other sectors like construction, agriculture and tourism.
Our Ministers, and Government Officials, will work in a pro-active way to encourage the investment by your enterprises.
Investing in Papua New Guinea, and our future, can be a challenging and yet exciting times.
Our GDP over the last decade has averaged 8 per cent a year. Next year it will reach 21 per cent, principally due to the export of LNG to Japan and many other countries.
But we don’t just enjoy strong GDP growth.
We have an essentially stable political environment – even though politics can at times be challenging, just as I am sure it is in Japan!
But our basis is strong, and our economic future is in my view the best it has been since Independence.
We will secure that future by high quality foreign investment – of the kind Japan has consistently provided over the last 40 years – and a growing and confident participation in these investments.
Our task, as the national government, is to provide the right climate for foreign direct investment and greater local participation.
We will do that through sound fiscal management, a stable economy, a stable political environment and by a community that welcomes quality investment, trade and business.
Our trading links have always been strong – and we are keen to strengthen and diversify them even further. We have the people, and the land, to help meet your food needs as well as your energy and mineral needs.
We will continue to welcome imports from your country which have contributed to our transport needs for generations, your electrical goods, and technology, among other imports.
While investment and trade underpin our close association, there are other significant aspects to it.
One is aid that Japan’s provides to Papua New Guinea, that is a major contributor to our country’s development agenda.
The work of organisations like JICA is widely appreciated in our community. It has contributed significantly to our social and economic development and I know it will continue to do so in the future.
I thank you, Prime Minister, and your Government for the generous assistance we have received since achieving Independence, and I thank you for your generous assistance that you have announced this evening.
We also have a strong and growing people to people association – in cultural, sporting, education and other areas. An example of this is the recent signing of an MOU between Bando City and Tari Town as Sister City Relationships.
I am confident that these relationships will continue to grow even stronger in the future.
Prime Minister, my final point tonight is to thank you, and your predecessors, for the excellent support Japan has always given Papua New Guinea at regional and international events and forums.
We could not have a more reliable friend.
Whether it has been at the United Nations, or APEC, Japan has been a great supporter and friend. I know my predecessors value that that support as well.
In just four years, Papua New Guinea has offered to host APEC 2018 that concludes with the Annual Leaders’ Summit.
APEC PNG 2018 will be a truly historic year for us – and we thank Japan, and our other APEC partners, for their confidence in our capacity to host the APEC process. We hope to learn from your experience from hosting APEC in 1996 and 2010 as we advance our preparations.
It will be an honour for our country and the other Pacific Island Countries for such an event to take place here, in Papua New Guinea.
In relation to our Pacific Island Nations, the Government of Papua New Guinea also welcomes a deeper engagement by Japan with the Pacific Islands Forum. This commitment is being well received by our Forum partners, and Papua New Guinea will support and encourage Japan in this engagement.
Prime Minister, my wife joins with me in welcoming you, and Mrs Abe, to Papua New Guinea.
We are joined in doing so by my Ministers, our National Parliament, and by the people of the nation.
You are distinguished and honoured guests.
And we especially welcome your distinguished business delegation, and hope you enjoy your short stay with us – and leave our shores confident about our investment, business and trade relationship and its future growth and vibrance,
Long may the strong, diverse and mutually beneficial relationship between Papua New Guinea and Japan continue"
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