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PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill agrees to aid Pacific Island Nations

BUSINESS linkages and Papua New Guinea’s development support are among the aspects covered by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill during bilateral talks with fellow leaders in Palau.

These meetings included discussions with leaders and ministers from Niue, the Cook Islands, Nauru, Palau, Samoa and New Zealand.

Mr O’Neill highlighted PNG’s ongoing regional development assistance that is being delivered to island states and has seen up to K300 million already spent or committed over several years.

“In our bilateral meetings we considered means for enhancing trade and investment between our countries,” the PM said.

“We also considered the ways in which Papua New Guinea is supporting development in our broader region as our economy grows.

“It is important that we continue to ensure that we take other Pacific Island countries with us when we prosper in our own country.

“Papua New Guinea has an obligation to be taking the lead role in ensuring that these things happen.

“Through our discussions with many of the leaders of the region we are also seeking to ensure that PNG businesses continue to have access to other markets so as to invest and employ more people. This investment then generates income for nations and their people,” he said.

“That way it will continue to change living standards in their respective communities.”

During the bilateral meetings the PM took on board requests for assistance and considered perspectives relating to regional economic development.

Niue President Toke Talagi expressed interest in PNG providing assistance for the reconstruction of Niue’s National Parliament building. The PM indicated his support for Niue in advancing the project and suggested that Niue develop a proposal for discussion with Papua New Guinea to secure the funding.

Requests for support from other economies included technical advice on seabed mining and enhancing development in key sectors that include healthcare and agriculture.

Mr O’Neilll has invited all leaders to attend the 46th Pacific Islands forum leaders’ meeting that will take place in Port Moresby on July 2015. It  will coincide with Papua New Guinea’s hosting of the 2015 Pacific Games.

Niue is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean, 2400 kilometres (1,500mi) northeast of New Zealand within the triangle formed by Tonga to the west, Samoa to the north, and the Cook Islands to the east.

Its land area is 260 square kilometres (100 sqmi) and its population, predominantly Polynesian, is around 1400.

It is not a member of the United Nations.
 
PNG Today /Post Courier

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