New envoy aims to strengthen ties

 By BEATRICE BONAKOYA

FORMER Petromin boss Joshua Kalinoe left the country yesterday to take up his post as ambassador to Belgium, the European Union and the World Trade Organisation.

He  said his biggest challenge was to strengthen ties between Papua New Guinea, the European Union and the WTO on the recently signed preferential trade agreement that opened up trade of PNG tuna in the European market.  

“PNG is the only country in the region to have a unique bilateral agreement with the European Union and my challenge is to connect, unite, harmonise and consolidate PNG with the rest of the world,” Kalinoe said.

He said such agreements with the EU were for the mutual benefit of the country.

The former chief secretary to government that trade and investment were his major assignments on this mission.

Kalinoe commended the government for his appointment as head of mission and said he would do his best to uphold the integrity of the office in Belgium. 

He will be replacing Peter Maginde.

Kalinoe was farewelled by protocol officers from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Barbara Mimino and Morivetta Eka.