Australian PM to visit PNG from Jan 12-13

AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit Papua New Guinea (PNG) next week in a programme packed with activities for his two-day visit.
Prime Minister James Marape announced yesterday that this would be the first visit by the Australian Prime Minister to PNG since he took office on May 30, 2019.
“For him to start the New Year with a visit to PNG reinforces the strong bond between our two countries as Australia and PNG have a long history and this visit will strengthen our shared vision for the future,” Marape said.
Albanese will be in PNG from Jan 12-13 to attend the Annual Leaders’ Dialogue in Port Moresby after which he will address the Parliament.
“Part of the programme will include Albanese addressing our national parliament which we are offering as a mark of respect to the Australian leader, as PNG marches towards our 50th anniversary of Independence,” Marape said.
“It is only befitting that the leader of the Australian Labour party which granted Independence to PNG in 1975 through then-leader (Gough Whitlam), be given this honour of addressing our national parliament.”
Following the dialogue, both prime ministers will travel to Wewak, to visit the resting place of the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare.