EC committed to build a prosperous PNG
By FRANK ASAELI
The European Commission will be more than ever committed in the partnership and support of Papua New Guinea’s efforts to build a prosperous and just country.
Ambassador and head of the delegation of the European Commission (EC) to PNG, Aldo Dell’Ariccia said this during the Europe Day and the 30th anniversary celebrations marking 30 years of EC’s presence in PNG last Friday, at the Crowne Plaza hotel in downtown Port Moresby.
He said: “I can assure you that 30 years later, after a contribution of almost three and half billion Kina of development aid, the European Commission is more than ever committed in our partnership and in supporting your efforts to build a prosperous and just country”.
“This partnership has once again been ratified, when a grant of 142.3 million Euros, (K600 million) for the period 2008 to 2013 was allocated to PNG,” Mr Dell’Ariccia said.
The country’s strategy paper and national indicative programme were signed by the Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare in the margins of the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga in October last year.
The delegation also celebrated the tenth anniversary of the European Monetary Union and also incidentally celebrated 50 years of the creation on the European Development Fund.
The European Union (EU) remains willing to maintain its market open to developing countries.
Mr Dell’Ariccia said “in this respect, I salute the initialing, last November, of an interim partnership agreement with Papua New Guinea, in the frame work of the negotiations of an economic partnership agreement with the Pacific region as a whole.”
This interim agreement allows PNG goods, in particular fisheries’ products to improve their access to the European market, duty or quota free.
The EU is also leading by example in tackling the climate change problem and has committed itself to reduce greenhouse gases by 20% and increase to 20% the share of renewable energies consumed by 2020.
The EU is glad to see PNG taking the matter so seriously.
The Government congratulated the EC and also acknowledged the EU’s support to the country.
The country was just three years old when the EC responded with interest to the challenge of accompanying a new State in its dream of achieving equitable development and prosperity for its people.
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