PNG to host indigenous business meet

By SHIRLEY MAULUDU
REPRESENTATIVES of some 20 countries will convene in the country later this year as Papua New Guinea hosts the World Indigenous Business Forum.
International Trade and Investment Vice-Minister Kessy Sawang said PNG won the bid to host the next forum when she attended the recent event in Colombia, South America.
“We bid for the first time at the recent forum in Colombia, South America, to host that event,” she said.
“It is an initiative of the World Indigenous Leadership Institute based in North America.
“The forum has been running for 10 years, except the two years when we had the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and they had a virtual event.
“The forum brings together indigenous business from across the world where there are indigenous people.
“The idea is that trade has been going on among the indigenous people for thousands of years.
“And when countries began to form, we set trade rules.
“But prior to that, indigenous people were actually trading among themselves.
“World indigenous forum actually builds upon that and encourages trade among indigenous people.”
Prime Minister James Marape said the Government would be fully supporting the event.
“Our government has given full support to us hosting this event,” he said.