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PNG keen to hone trade and economic
diplomacy: Tiensten
FOREIGN Affairs Minister Paul Tiensten said
yesterday the PNG Government has recently decided “to sharpen its
emphasis on trade and economic diplomacy” in what he described as “a new
paradigm shift”.
Speaking at the 23rd Australia-PNG Business Council Forum in Cairns, Mr
Tiensten said the Government would post trade and commercial and
marketing specialists in certain strategic diplomatic missions.
These specialists will help PNG become “more oriented towards trade and
investment in view of opportunities offered by increased globalisation”.
He said this model had been initiated by the PNG coffee industry which
had placed a representative in London, who works closely with the PNG
High Commission, to promote PNG coffee in Europe.
He said it would be possible for the Government to enter into a
strategic alliance, where an industry representative could be
accommodated under the umbrella of PNG diplomatic representation.
“This is a serious option that industry should explore,” he said.
Mr Tiensten said the PNG Government was undertaking ongoing reforms with
land problems and compensation demands soon becoming “a phenomenon of
history”.
“The initiatives taken by this Government to address land issues
properly since independence will provide the impetus for all Papua New
Guineans to use their land in a manner that benefits them and those who
choose to do business with them … foreign or local.”
He said the Government had adopted a transport and infrastructure
development plan and will soon adopt development plans for agriculture
and tourism.
Mr Tiensten said that for the first time in a long time, institutions
such as the Asian Development Bank were being positive about the
situation in PNG.
“The ADB predicted at the end of last year that PNG’s external debt
would remain stable and the construction, manufacturing and wholesale or
retail sectors would experience strong growth in the coming years.
“All the above point to the sound policies of the Government. The
Government has enjoyed unprecedented political stability, which had
allowed it to implement its policies.”
The PNG Foreign Minister also referred to the closeness of Australia-PNG
relations, noting that Austrade statistics showed that there were 3,823
Australian firms exporting to PNG, the sixth highest in the world.
 
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