Prime Minister, James Marape is attending the Pacific Island Forum in Tonga’s Nuku’alofa this week.
A accessing forestry and climate change funds by forest host and small Pacific Island Nations are high on agenda.
PM Marape emphasized significance to attend 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting as an important annual gathering of Pacific leaders.
“We will discuss issues of shared interest, including trade, geopolitics, climate change, recovery from the economic shocks of COVID-19, and various others,” PM Marape said.
PM Marape told media yesterday (Sunday) in Port Moresby before he departs for Tonga to attend the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting scheduled from August 26-30, 2024.
On his way to Tonga, Prime Minister Marape made a brief stopover in Niue to fulfill a longstanding Papua New Guinea Government commitment of K5 million made in 2014.
“This commitment of 2014 has not been fulfilled; hence, I will be traveling there to fulfill it,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“I look forward to the Tonga PIF in Nuku’alofa and will be back in the country by Thursday, August 29, 2024.”
Prime Minister Marape also addressed the concerns of the people of PNG, assuring them that the Government is aware of the current challenges facing individual families and is doing everything possible to provide assistance through the 2024 Budget, including the payment of school fees and other support measures.
“I assure our people that this assistance will continue into 2025. Your government is working very hard to address all these issues,” he said.
The PM Marape acknowledged the impact of the events of January 10, 2024, on the economy and urged the people to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
“Our people must understand that money generated into the economy comes from business houses, who in turn, must be respected.”