France joins PNG donor group

FRANCE will soon join the group of donors to support sustainable development in Papua New Guinea, Ambassador Guillaume Lemoine announced during the French National Day celebration.
Under the seal of the French Republic’s motto of “Liberty, equality, fraternity” and in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, the ambassador and his wife Olivia Lemoine hosted the celebration of the French National Day at the National Museum and Art Gallery on Thursday.
Immigration Minister Bryan Kramer and secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and the National Executive Council Ivan Pomaleu represented the Government at the celebration.
Lemoine said finally France was going to be soon sitting around the table of the donors who contribute to a sustainable development of PNG.
“In this regards, France will be delegated at least 45 million euros (about K200 million) from European Union to implement in a PNG programme dedicated to forestry, climate change and biodiversity in the coming four or five years,” he said.
Lemoine also highlighted that the abolition of the death penalty in PNG last January, according to him was a major achievement for the country.
He stressed on the importance of the ongoing electoral process in the country, noticing that this process, even if it was not perfect, was the expression of the importance of democracy in PNG.
He also mentioned the new resetting of bilateral relations between France and Australia.
Kramer highlighted the long and friendly relationship between PNG and France.
Kramer stressed the importance of the Total Energies project for his country and called for more high level visits between our two countries.
Four parliamentarians from Australia and New Zealand, who were in PNG as election observers, were also present at the event.