Apia, Samoa: Friday, 25 October 2024
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape and Singapore Prime Minister Hon. Lawrence Wong (left) at their bilateral meeting this morning at the Taumeasina Island Resort, Apia. (photo courtesy of PM&NEC).
Prime Minister Hon. James Marape and his Singapore counterpart, Hon. Lawrence Wong, discussed trade and investment opportunities during their bilateral meeting ahead of the official opening of the 17th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, today.
He personally congratulated Mr Wong on his ascension to office, in their meeting on the margins of the CHOGM Leaders’ week..
The two leaders seized the opportunity to discuss trade and investment opportunities, including new areas of co-operation that will further deepen the ongoing relations.
Prime Minister Marape acknowledged the longstanding diplomatic relations between Papua New Guinea and Singapore since 1976, affirming that relations between the two countries must continue to new heights.
“PNG knows that Singapore is a hub of transit, operates one of the largest ports in the world, and is a big trading partner with many countries.”
Prime Minister Marape emphasised the need to expand relations in the area of trade and investment between Papua New Guinea and Singapore.
“We are ready to offer the potential we have for Singapore to tap into PNG’s fresh primary agricultural produce to the Singaporean food market.
“This would greatly complement my government’s effort to grow the PNG rural economy and improve the livelihoods of the bulk of our people that are heavily dependent on the agriculture sector,’’ said Prime Minister Marape.
Meanwhile, PNG will be setting up a trade and investment office in Singapore to encourage potential investment in this space and also explore other areas of mutual interest.
Prime Minister Marape also sought support for PNG’s full membership to the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and informed that PNG would submit its interest through Indonesia by the end of this year.
Prime Minister Wong, in response, expressed appreciation for the warm welcome and thanked Prime Minister Marape for allowing time to meet with him on the margins of his busy schedule in attending CHOGM Leaders’ Week.
He also reiterated that PNG/Singapore bilateral relations are longstanding and that Singapore is an active and constructive partner in the Pacific.
He expressed that their programs in the Pacific aim to be impactful in that they are also an island country and share the same challenges, such as impacts of climate change.
Prime Minister Wong welcomed the proposal for PNG’s agricultural produce to be imported into the Singaporean food markets and added that food diversification and safety standards are an important strategy for adapting to market trends and improving resilience in a competitive landscape.
Prime Minister Marape in response thanked him for the exchanges and informed that he would be officially conveying a formal letter of invitation to Prime Minister Wong for his attendance at Papua New Guinea’s 50th Anniversary in September 2025.
He also expressed his interest for an official visit to Singapore next year to discuss trade and investment opportunities in the area of downstream processing in agriculture, renewable energy resources, fisheries and forestry sectors, in particular, to process and export.
Prime Minister Marape also welcomed Singaporean investors to Papua New Guinea.