Wednesday 6th July, 2025
New Zealand has announced new support for Papua New Guinea during the official visit of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Port Moresby this week.
The new support will focus on helping PNG grow its economy, improve health services, and strengthen its fisheries sector.
Prime Minister Luxon met with PNG Prime Minister James Marape, and together they agreed on a new Economic Plan of Action. This plan aims to grow trade and economic ties between the two countries.
As part of this, New Zealand will expand its Business Link Pacific programme, which helps small and medium businesses in PNG.
A new programme will also be launched to support women entrepreneurs in Lae, alongside New Zealand’s ongoing support for building the new Lae Market.
New Zealand will also continue supporting efforts to stop the spread of the Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle, a serious threat to crops. The existing biosecurity programme will be extended for another two years.
In addition, New Zealand will help PNG businesses that want to export goods by running a series of training workshops to get them ready to sell their products overseas.
Fisheries is another area of focus. Prime Minister Luxon said New Zealand will work closely with PNG to build up the country’s fishing industry. The new support will include training opportunities, scholarships, and technical advice to fight illegal fishing and improve how PNG manages its fisheries.
New Zealand High Commissioner Peter Zwart said the support package is a strong sign of New Zealand’s commitment to PNG.
“This new support will help PNG businesses grow and shows how serious we are about building a stronger economic relationship,” he said.
On health, Prime Minister Luxon visited Port Moresby General Hospital, where he announced a 5-million-kina donation to help PNG respond to the current polio outbreak.
He also visited Goldie River, where he watched joint training exercises between the New Zealand and PNG Defence Forces. As part of his official visit, Prime Minister Luxon also gave a speech at PNG’s National Parliament.
High Commissioner Zwart said these new announcements show how strong the 50-year partnership between PNG and New Zealand has become.
“We are working together in many areas, from agriculture to energy, and we want to keep supporting PNG’s development and our close friendship,” he said.