Australia, PNG sign deals for strategic, economic partnership
PRIME Minister James Marape says Australian government intervention in some key enabling infrastructures including the Coral Sea cable linking Australia and the Solomon Islands are some of the benefits that have allowed both nations to have virtual meetings.
Speaking to his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison during the PNG-Australia virtual leaders’ summit yesterday, Marape said: “Your intervention in ensuring that Treasury supported about K780 million (AU$300mil) at the end of last year kept our budget concluded at a high note.”
Morrison said PNG and Australia would agree on a new comprehensive strategic partnership.
“This lifts our relationship to whole other levels and reflects what is already there, not just government to government but people to people.
“This relationship will broadly open up Pacific family nations and also Indo Pacific.
“We are proceeding with the wonderful project of connecting 70 per cent of people of PNG to electricity in partnership with Japan, New Zealand and the United States.
“Right now we are both dealing with pandemic and we will be there for you and we will always be there for us.”
Morrison said Australia had a special gratitude for the people of PNG, particularly this week to mark the 75th anniversary of WW II.
“This is a relationship we will never forget the people of PNG,” he said.
Meanwhile, the two countries yesterday signed two agreements, the comprehensive strategic and economic partnership which was signed by Marape and Morison while the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was signed by Minister for High Education, Research, Science and Technology Nick Kuman and Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Alex Hawke.
4 comments
Thanks Morrison and Australia for being faithful to us over last seventy five years since WW2. Though we are got independence from you, and do other things that displeases you but your faithfulness is what Papua New Guineans still owing. Only the Asians fake products are painting and decorating the faces Papua New Guineans making us ugly. Otherwise Asians are doing better in infrastructural developments.
Australia should do more than just the electricity supply concluded by the APEC governments meeting recently. Australia had never never helped PNG develop economically the its Agriculture, Fisheries and Tourism. Its stepping up is far too late with China coming heavily into Fisheries and Marine Resources in June this year signing of a K20 billion investment.
PNG should have been a clean defender for Australia and wasted 75 years of paternalism treatment rather than on equal partnership approach. PNG should by now be seen as an ally of Australia not as a raw nation with its friends to all and enemies to none foreign policy. Current powers competition at PNG and Pacific doorsteps is not good.
PNG Gov’t needed a thorough History Lessons on How Aussie had treated citizens of this Beautiful Nation during Pre-Independent and Colonial days. THEY WERE NEVER SO FRIENDLY as one might thing or buyinh into. The political inter-relations is just so that the Land Down Under can be economically over-ruling PNG.
And guess what, the Capital City Canberra was built with looted GOLD from WAU-BULOLO.
Besides, Aussie doesnt NOT provide Graduate Opportunities for PNG in all sectors.
So-how is this so called RE-LATION-SHIP going to be better like EVER???
You are absolutely right. All our png history should be written and taught in schools. Right now the ww1 and wwìi history is not known today’s generation. Why Australia is focusing on other Pacific nations rather than ping in terms of education, employment and other socioeconomic activities?
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