International Relations. Papua New Guinea press review
The United Kingdom (UK) has donated about K4.3 million (US$1,24 million) to Papua New Guinea (PNG) for its COVID-19 response plan. British Minister for the Pacific and the Environment Lord Zac Goldsmith announced the funding during a video call with PNG Prime Minister Hon. James Marape. In turn, British High Commissioner to PNG Keith Scott said the UK’s commitment to help PNG «not only meet its immediate needs but also develop resilience in the health sector». PNG Prime Minister thanked UK for its assistance, saying the funding would help address the challenges PNG had been facing since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Mr. Marape also expressed PNG’s interest to collaborate with the UK on sustainable forestry and tackling illegal logging. It’s expected that K3 million will give (US$860 thousand) to PNG by World Health Organisation (WHO) for equipment and training and another K1 million (US$290 thousand) by UNICEF to fund Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). [1]
The Stradbroke Investment Group spent more than U$350,000 to repatriate Papua New Guinea citizens stranded in India and made a donation of 20,000 PPEs to the Government, including related freight and handling costs. The company, together with the Government of Fiji, assisted PNG in chartering Garuda Indonesia to bring the PNG citizens home. Stradbroke Investment Group chairman, Xiwen Zhao and its foundation chairwoman, Zhao Feiyanc told the Post-Courier yesterday that the company is committed to make further investment in PNG: «Stradbroke Investments remains committed to investing more in the agriculture and fisheries sectors in Papua New Guinea despite worldwide slowdown business and investments, » the Stradbroke Investment Group Chairman Mr. Xiwen Zhao said. [2]
The Bank of Papua New Guinea is expected to make an announcement on a Bank of China branch in Port Moresby. The Bank of China office is located inside The Stanley Hotel and Suits which is still under renovation and not yet in operation. The Bank of China is one of the four biggest state-owned commercial banks in China. Bank of China representative Wee Li Cheong told The National that as a representative office, the Bank would mainly act as a liaison office and coordinate necessary information gathering, market learning and understanding the local regulatory environment. «We are not allowed to conduct any banking activities unlike your typical banks operating in PNG, » Mr. Wee Li Cheong said. [3]
According to National Fisheries Authority Provincial Support Officer Carson Koviro, China is accepting all fishery products from Papua New Guinea. China got market access to PNG fisheries sector in May 2020 after three years of trying by the authority. Mr. Kaviro noted that 77 companies were eligible to export to China, including 36 processing facilities. The list of companies interested in exporting their products to China will be submitted soon. Mr. Kaviro also said that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organisation had come up with new measures to govern the export of fishery products around the world. [4]
[1] https://www.thenational.com.pg/uk-commits-k4-3mil-to-png/
[2] https://postcourier.com.pg/stradbroke-keen-to-invest-in-png/
[3] https://www.thenational.com.pg/bpng-to-announce-bank-of-chinas-establishment-in-country/
[4] https://www.thenational.com.pg/china-accepting-products/
