Department plans to set up national trade office

DEPUTY Prime Minister Charles Abel says a National Trade Office will be set up to administer the country’s trade affairs and implement the National Trade Policy (2017-2032).
PNG’s first trade policy was launched on Wednesday in Port Moresby.
“A National Trade Office will be established to coordinate and implement the policy,” he said.
“It will be an independent body representing PNG on all international trade matters. It will be progressively resourced and capacitated to carry out its responsibilities.”
Department of Trade, Commerce and Industry secretary John Andrias said it took the country more than four decades to have a trade policy.
He said the two reasons for the delay were the lack of political will and funding.
“When the O’Neill-led government took office in 2012, we had a political will and drive there. We had funding through the European Union trade-related assistance programme 1 and 2,” he said.
“Under these, we were able to gauge views from local level government to provincial governments and national levels.
“We held workshops throughout the country. Whatever views that were captured, we tried to ensure that it is reflected as a collective view of all stakeholders.
“It took us five years to consult all stakeholders to ensure every issue and concern was reflected. But we also ensured that all policy directives were realistic and achievable.
“In this regard, I would like to thank everyone who have contributed in developing this trade policy.”
He said National Planning and Monitoring Minister Richard Maru, who was trade, commerce and industry minister in the previous government, was the driving force behind the policy.