PNG Prime Minister James Marape and his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon have agreed to strengthen Papua New Guinea-New Zealand cooperation in education, skills development, labour mobility, aviation and regional development during bilateral talks on the margins of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Koror, Palau, today.
In a statement yesterday, Prime Minister Marape thanked Mr. Luxon for New Zealand’s longstanding partnership with Papua New Guinea and its continued engagement with Pacific Island countries.
He said New Zealand and Australia had important leadership responsibilities in the region and commended both countries for respecting and supporting smaller Pacific Island nations.
Related news: https://www.postcourier.com.pg/tag/55th-pacific-islands-forum-leaders-meeting-in-koror/
“Our smaller Pacific Island countries may be small in land area and population, but they are strategically important,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“They have vast ocean spaces, substantial fisheries resources and an important collective voice at the United Nations and other international forums. If we remain together, the Pacific will stand strong in the face of global fragility, geopolitical competition, wars, economic pressures and trade disruptions.”
Prime Minister Marape said geography bound Pacific nations together permanently and made the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent increasingly important.
“We cannot change our geography. Whether we like it or not, we are part of this region forever,” he said. “That is why the architecture of the Blue Pacific Continent matters. The challenges facing our region compel us to remain united.”
Education and technical skills development was featured prominently in the discussions, with both leaders agreeing that investment in human capital was essential for economic growth.
Prime Minister Marape said Papua New Guinea wanted to lift its education and technical training standards so that qualifications obtained in PNG would be more readily recognised in New Zealand, Australia and other international labour markets.
“Our aim is to raise our education standards to levels comparable with Australia and New Zealand,” he said. “We want Papua New Guineans graduating from our schools, colleges and universities to possess qualifications and skills that allow them to compete successfully in the global labour market.”
Prime Minister Marape said Papua New Guinea was investing more than K11 billion in education interventions over the next 10 years, including improvements in early childhood learning, primary and secondary education, and vocational and technical training.
He said the Government was working with churches to strengthen early childhood education while maintaining a standard national curriculum.
“Papua New Guinea has a very young population, with about 59 per cent of our people below the age of 25,” Prime Minister Marape said. “This gives us an enormous opportunity, but we must invest properly in education and skills so that our young people can secure meaningful employment at home and overseas.”
Prime Minister Luxon outlined New Zealand’s reforms in literacy, mathematics, school attendance, teacher development and vocational education.
He offered to facilitate further discussions between the two countries’ education ministers and share New Zealand’s experience in strengthening foundational learning and introducing vocational training at secondary-school level.
Prime Minister Marape welcomed the offer and proposed closer coordination among Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia on education standards, technical training and future workforce requirements.
The two leaders also discussed expanding opportunities for Papua New Guineans under New Zealand’s labour mobility programmes.
Prime Minister Marape thanked New Zealand for employing Papua New Guinean workers and said PNG was ready to supply more trained workers in areas where New Zealand faced labour shortages.
“I thank New Zealand for the opportunities already being provided to Papua New Guineans,” he said. “We are ready to train more skilled workers, including tradespeople and technical personnel, according to the needs of the New Zealand economy.”
Prime Minister Luxon said New Zealand remained open to exploring further labour mobility opportunities while ensuring participating Pacific countries did not lose workers needed in essential domestic sectors.
He said New Zealand’s Recognized Seasonal Employer scheme also provided agricultural training to participating Pacific workers, enabling them to return home with practical skills and experience.
Prime Minister Marape said the planned direct Port Moresby-Auckland air service would further strengthen business, tourism, sporting and people-to-people links between Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.
“We are building stronger connectivity between our two countries, and the Port Moresby-Auckland service will help open new opportunities,” he said. “We hope to see more New Zealanders visiting Papua New Guinea for business, tourism and major sporting events.”
The leaders also discussed Papua New Guinea’s entry into Australia’s National Rugby League competition in 2028, and the strong following rugby league enjoys in both countries.
Prime Minister Marape described rugby league as a powerful unifying force in Papua New Guinea.
“Papua New Guinea is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, with more than 800 languages and tribes, but rugby league brings our people together as one nation,” he said.
Prime Minister Luxon thanked Papua New Guinea for its substantial contribution to the Pacific Resilience Facility.
Prime Minister Marape said the facility demonstrated the Pacific’s ability to develop and support its own solutions to regional challenges.
He proposed that Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Australia and other Pacific countries consider establishing a regional infrastructure financing mechanism in the future.
“Over the longer term, we should explore a Pacific infrastructure fund supported by contributions based on the economic capacity of participating countries,” Prime Minister Marape said. “This could help our region finance essential infrastructure and reduce its dependence on external funding.”
The leaders also discussed the Bougainville peace process, with Prime Minister Marape thanking New Zealand for its longstanding contribution to peace and reconciliation in Bougainville.
Prime Minister Marape reaffirmed that the Government remained committed to the Bougainville Peace Agreement and to completing the constitutional and parliamentary processes relating to the 2019 referendum.
He said any decision on Bougainville’s future must be achieved peacefully and through the constitutional process agreed to by all parties.
Prime Minister Luxon reaffirmed New Zealand’s willingness to continue assisting Papua New Guinea and Bougainville as the peace process moved forward.
The two leaders welcomed the growing relationship between Papua New Guinea and New Zealand and committed to maintaining regular dialogue between their governments, ministers and officials.
Related news: https://www.thepngsun.com/png-pm-marape-urges-pacific-leaders-to-stand-together-on-regional-security/
Prime Minister Luxon also invited Prime Minister Marape to visit New Zealand as the two countries continue building their bilateral partnership.
“New Zealand is an important friend and development partner of Papua New Guinea,” Prime Minister Marape said. “We value Prime Minister Luxon’s leadership and look forward to working closely with him to strengthen our bilateral relationship and advance the collective interests of the Pacific.”