PNG to build Business, Investment and Technology links with India

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill  will attend the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Leaders’ Summit this week in Jaipur in India’s Rajasthan state.

Joining the Prime Minister will be a number of Papua New Guinean business representatives who will seek to open new opportunities for trade and investment between the two countries.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said he welcomed India’s initiative to hold the FIPIC that he said is an important part of the regional multilateral fabric.

“Papua New Guinea maintains a friend to all and enemy to none policy for our international engagement, and the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation is another avenue to share information and increase trade and investment.

"Regional forums with large economic partners each carry different perspectives and are of great benefit to Pacific Island nations. “With India there will be discussion on the sharing of expertise on renewable energy technologies where India has significant experience that will benefit developing countries.

“As well as having a vast inland, India is also a maritime nation with thousands of islands and more than seven thousand kilometres of coastline. “Climate change is affecting communities in these coastal areas just as is the case in Papua New Guinea and around the Pacific.

"At the same time the inland and higher altitude locations in India are susceptible to drought and damage from frost and other weather events. “Papua New Guinea and India have a lot in common in these important areas and I look forward to our discussion with Prime Minister Modi and his administration.”

Prime Minister Hon. Peter O’Neill said there was a lot more to be gained from strengthening business engagement. "India’s annual trade with Pacific Island Nations is around US$300 million of which more than half is with Papua New Guinea,” the Prime Minister said.

“During this visit we will enhance Papua New Guinea's business engagement with India and deliver more jobs in both countries in areas that include energy, resources and fisheries.

"I am also very interested in looking at the advances that India has made in the use of new information technologies for the delivery of education and healthcare. “The use of technology can dramatically expand the reach of healthcare professionals to diagnose medical conditions for people in remote areas, and develop plans to bring people back to good health.

“At the same time schools in remote areas can access a world of knowledge through the Internet. “In Papua New Guinea we are expanding Internet access to remote areas but we also need to have better systems and processes for people to consult with doctors online or to get better school lesson plans. “Gaining more information about India’s expanding network of IT centres will be very interesting.”

Following a series of bilateral meetings and business engagements, the Leaders Summit will take place on Friday, 21 August.