Milestone visit by NZ minister

AOTEAROA New Zealand’s minister of foreign affairs Nanaia Mahuta will visit Papua New Guinea this week – her first as foreign minister and the first visit to Papua New Guinea by any New Zealand minister since the disruptions of the Coronavirus (Covid-19).
I am delighted to welcome Minister Mahuta to Port Moresby, and I thank the Government of Papua New Guinea for accommodating this visit at such a busy time.Mahuta’s visit reaffirms the long-standing friendship between Aotearoa New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
This friendship is underpinned by the close connections between our people; our partnerships in energy, agriculture, defence, policing; and our shared history – and future – as countries in and of the Pacific.
How Aotearoa New Zealand works in, and with, our partners in the Pacific is important.
Last year, Mahuta introduced a new set of principles to guide our engagement and promote a focus on building resilience together.
These include: Tatai Hono – the recognition of deep and enduring whakapapa, or ancestral, connections; Tatou Tatou – all of us together; and, Arongia ki Rangiatea – focus towards excellence.
We strive to apply these principles across our range of engagements in Papua New Guinea.
A resilience approach means that our support to the energy sector (delivered through the Papua New Guinea electrification partnership) delivers new connections directly to households, while helping to build institutional capacity across the sector.
And it means that when we contribute to important upgrades of fresh produce markets, such as new market infrastructure in Kimbe and Lae, we are working with local partners to improve market governance, and to enhance the participation and safety of women and girls, as well as the role of indigenous and local communities.
As Minister Mahuta travels this week in Port Moresby and Mt Hagen, and as our two countries continue to work together to deepen our partnership,and work together to support shared priorities, from climate change and regional security, to education and health, these principles will be close to heart.

Phillip Taula
New Zealand High
Commissioner to Papua
New Guinea