Australia and PNG to sign new aid partnership deal

Australia will sign a new aid partnership with Papua New Guinea promoting economic growth and reducing poverty as well outlining our shared priorities in the health, education, transport and justice sectors. 

Australia and Papua New Guinea have a strong and dynamic relationship based on close historical, economic and geographic ties. Two-way trade between our countries is worth $6.8 billion and Australian investment in PNG totals $19 billion.

The new aid partnership aligns Australian and PNG development priorities and will:

• Establish a platform for PNG to continue to further its social and economic development; 

• Address family and sexual violence issues enabling more women to break the poverty cycle; and 

• Deliver vital infrastructure including roads to ensure services reach more people and improve access to markets. 

Women’s economic empowerment will be a key focus of this partnership.

I will also co-chair the 24th Australia-Papua New Guinea Ministerial Forum in Canberra with my counterpart, Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Mr Rimbink Pato.

We will discuss our shared interests in regional security, including combatting people smuggling, and our close defence and police ties.

The Ministerial Forum follows productive discussions on ways to further strengthen Australia-Papua New Guinea trade and investment links during the Papua New Guinea-Australia Business Dialogue, where I was joined by the Minister for Trade and Investment, Steve Ciobo. 

I will be joined at the Forum by Australia’s Ministers for Immigration and Border Protection, Defence, Justice and International Development and the Pacific.