PNG, India sign deal for training of diplomats

The National National

A memorandum of understanding for cooperation in diplomatic training was signed between the Indian and Papua New Guinea governments yesterday.
The MOU between ministry of external affairs of India and PNG foreign affairs will see Papua New Guineans receive diplomatic training t the Foreign Service Institute of India.
Negotiations started in 2014.
Through the MOU, the participants will engage in mutually beneficial activities such as:

  • Exchange of information of structure and content of training programmes for diplomats;
  • identification of experts and training needs in mutually agreed areas;
  • exchange of trainees, students, facility members and experts between the two countries; and
  • Other activities that participants mutually decide to pursue.

The MOU is for three years but can be further extended for another three years at a time, unless terminated by either participant, by giving a 90-day written notice.
Secretary for the Department of Foreign Affairs Barbara Age and the High Commissioner of India Vijai Kumar signed the MOU.
Age said the signing was important as the Government of PNG had endorsed a foreign policy review report in 2017.
Kumar said India had some specifically-designed programmes for PNG, which PNG needed to embrace. He said one of them was the India-PNG Centre of Excellence in ITC at University of PNG for tomorrow’s leaders to access.
“It’s a centre of excellence that will provide high-class programmes in IT for students and officials in Papua New Guinea,” Kumar said.
He said a director would be brought in from India with two specialist who would be paid by the Indian government for two years.