Forum agrees half of aid will go to infrastructure

The National National

By HELEN TARAWA
THE PNG-Australia Ministerial forum has agreed that 50 per cent of Australia’s bilateral aid to PNG would be used for infrastructure development.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Soroi Eoe said he was satisfied with the discussions in the area of budget support.
The forum, held on Monday at the APEC Haus, covered a number of key areas including bilateral relationship, trade and investments opportunities, development partnership, cooperation on security issues and key regional and global developments.
Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Women Marise Payne said: “We also agreed to take forward as priority a new Comprehensive and strategic economic partnership (CSEP).
“The two prime ministers set that in motion last month and it will significantly elevate our bilateral relationship.
“Our aim is to conclude negotiations on the CSEP by the end of this year.
“We’ve also agreed on a review of all of our existing bilateral relationships.”
The forum identified six priority areas for action:

  • Strong democracies;
  • people to people links;
  • economic partnership security and stability;
  • social and human development; and,
  • Regional and global cooperation.

“We are looking to deliver in new ways our infrastructure commitments through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific and of course under the PNG electrification Partnership.
“We are ensuring that 50 per cent of our contribution here in PNG is focused on key infrastructure development.”