United States, Coca-Cola Europacific partner to support PNG

THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in support of development activities in Papua New Guinea, an official says.
USAID Philippines, Pacific Islands and Mongolia mission director Ryan Washburn said during his first official trip to PNG that the MoU would promote women’s empowerment, safe water and sustainable economic growth.
“Business is good for development and development is good for business,” he said.
Washburn said USAID prioritised consultation, strategising, alignment, collaboration, and implementation with the private sector for a greater scale, sustainability and effectiveness and the partnership to enhance development impacts in the country.
Coca-Cola PNG general manager Philippe Mondada emphasised the importance of growing their business sustainably.
“Coca-Cola has made a number of commitments that align with the targets underpinning the United Nations sustainable development goals,” he said.
Mondada said the collaboration was a great example of the SDG goal 17 – Corporate social responsibility to create shared value and development impact.
USAID and CCEP will jointly support women’s empowerment and work to combat gender-based violence (GBV), the establishment of the American chamber of commerce Coral Sea to promote sustainable economic growth, foreign investment, and greater opportunities for US and Pacific companies in the Coral Sea.
Both partners have a long history of partnership, collaborating on numerous major initiatives and are looking forward to work together through the signed MoU.