Govt officials complete foreign service training

ABOUT 20 officers from the Department of Foreign Affairs and other government agencies in Port Moresby received certificates after the conclusion of the fourth Papua New Guinea Foreign Service training programme on Wednesday.
“The programme has been valuable for our government because it has enabled us to promote and pursue our foreign policy priorities of the country,” acting secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade Barbara Agirigolo said.
Agirigolo said the programme contributed immensely towards capacity-building in the department since it was first established in 2013 under the administration of outgoing Secretary William Dihm.
“This programme is the brainchild of the outgoing secretary,” Agirigolo said.
“This programme was revived with support from the government of New Zealand.
“It also enabled us to recruit direct trainees into the department, train staffs, as well as colleagues from other departments who were involved in the programme.
“We are also grateful that the programme has contributed to our new foreign policy.”
Agirigolo said the country needed the programme to ensure that the interest of the nation would be well represented by skilled diplomats.
Dihm told the graduates and other staff members who had passed the programme to ensure that the skills and knowledge gained be effectively used.
“This programme has been delivered through a three-way partnership between the Papua New Guinea government, the New Zealand government and Victoria University of Australia,” he said.
Dihm said the programme was coming to an end this year but asked for an extension after seeing the big potential it had achieved in the department and the nation.