Envoy: EU has allocated over K700mil for 6 years

THE European Union is a big donor to Papua New Guinea with K744 million (€184 million) allocated for 2014 to 2020, Netherlands ambassador Erica Schouten says.
Schouten told Governor-General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae that her country’s main channel of cooperation with Papua New Guinea was through the EU’s cooperation programme.
But she said the framework for the cooperation, the Cotonou agreement, needed to be renewed.
“I am happy to say that our countries enjoy stable and cordial relations,” she said.
“Our economic relations are modest but growing. And our governments find each other as partners on the international front.”
Schouten said climate change was of importance to both countries.
“The Netherlands and the other parts of the kingdom in the Caribbean know only too well the challenges associated with extreme weather conditions and rising sea levels,” she said.
“The Kingdom of the Netherlands remains committed to putting the issue of climate change and security high on the agenda of the Security Council during its membership in 2018.” She said PNG was an extraordinary country.
“It is a country with warm and hardworking people,” she said.
“It is a country where nature abound and a country with great cultural diversity.”
Schouten was at Government House to present her credential letter to Sir Bob.