Thursday 21 November 2024
Governor General, Grand Chief Sir Bob Bofeng Dadae, presenting a gift to Ambassador Beate Gizeski at Government House on Thursday 14 November. (photo: Government House).
Governor- General, Grand Chief Sir Bob Bofeng Dadae, officially received Letters of Credence from the new Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Papua New Guinea, H.E Ms Beate Gizeski, at Government House on Thursday 14 November 2024.
In welcoming Ambassador Gizeski, Sir Bob acknowledged Germany’s support to Papua New Guinea and the Pacific region, in addressing significant issues such as climate change and its impact in the region.
“As island communities continue to grapple with the effects of climate change, industrialised nations are being urged to heed concerns raised by Pacific Island nations and join in efforts to address this shared issue.
“The 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga in August, underscored some of the most urgent challenges faced by our Blue Pacific, with climate change and regional architecture at the forefront.”
Sir Bob said it is timely that Germany seeks to strengthen its role as a strategic partner to the Pacific Islands Forum.
“By joining forces to address these pressing challenges, we have an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of our island communities. Germany has long been a dedicated partner in the Pacific, offering steadfast support,” the Governor General said.
In response, Ambassador Grzeski stated that Germany aims to intensify cooperation with the Pacific Islands Forum to contribute meaningfully to achieving common goals shared by Pacific Island nations.
“We want to improve our networks, better understand the needs here in Papua New Guinea and in the region more broadly, and develop proposals on how Germany can make an even more meaningful contribution to achieving common goals with your country and the region in the future.
“We hear your concerns that the current COP process is not delivering sufficient results and that access to climate finance needs to be improved.
“ But we believe that the voice of the Pacific Island countries is essential in this process. We therefore hope that Papua New Guinea’s cooperation and participation in future COPs can be restored,” Ambassador Grzeski said.
The German Embassy has also implemented a number of projects that include a collaboration with the Port Moresby Nature Park to plant 26, 000 trees, funding of a rural aid post in Kaimfurabip, Western Province for healthcare and support to Leprosy Mission and support to Safe Houses for Women in PNG.
Ambassador Grzeski added that PNG and Germany have a long-standing and successful cooperation in the field of cultural heritage protection and preservation.
“One focus is on museums and historical sites as places of remembrance and debate…We also encourage and fund the translation of ethnographic writings as part of the process of coming to terms with the colonial past in the Pacific Islands countries.
“ The return of cultural artefacts and human remains from colonial context is an important part. We are working with Papua New Guinea on the repatriation of human remains from Germany,” Ambassador Grzeski said
Both countries have a long and shared history dating back hundreds of years ago, including the arrival of the first German Lutheran missionaries to parts of Morobe province in the late 1800s.
The Lutheran missionaries helped spread the Christian Gospel throughout Morobe as well as to other parts of the country. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG is currently the second largest Christian denomination in PNG.
Meanwhile, Grand Chief Sir Bob has accepted an invitation from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bavaria/Germany to celebrate Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence celebration in Germany,.
The celebration coincides with Neuendettelsau, the birthplace of a 138-year connection between the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Bavaria and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in PNG.
Papua New Guinea and the Federal Republic of Germany established formal diplomatic ties in 1976.
Ambassador Beate Gizeski is resident in Canberra, Australia.