By Tamara Pia Agavi
Papua New Guinea and the United States of America have strengthened bilateral relations once again with the visit of the US Aid Administrator, Samantha Power to the nation’s capital on Sunday 13th of August.
Prime Minister James Marape, when addressing the media, said the meeting signifies full aspect of the relationship between the two countries and completes President Biden’s 3D strategy which are ; diplomacy, defence and development.
As well as the defence pact, the U.S. also signed a maritime agreement with Papua New Guinea which will allow the U.S. Coast Guard to partner with PNG and other neighbouring countries in the Pacific to counter illegal fishing and drug smuggling.
Other areas to be looked into as well are; Forest resources as well as health, electrification, natural disasters management, hunger and the protection of women and girls.
The reopening comes after the visit of Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken a few months back and the signing of the US defence Cooperation which set sights on President Biden’s focus on Papua New Guinea and the Pacific.
Prime Minister Marape also welcomed the new representative of the US AID office in PNG, Nino Nadiradze.
Nino brings significant global experience to the role, including other countries where she has served on senior roles, where her main focus were on many of the priorities PNG has identified for its own development.
Prime Minister Marape also reiterated on the meeting saying that the presence of the US in PNG is not just in Security but in all aspects of relations.
The meeting with Prime Minister Marape and US Aid Administrator Power indicates the fullness of PNG’s relationship with USA in terms of people to people, government to government and businesses to business bi -relations.
President Biden will play host to Prime Minister Marape in the coming months, which is a clear indication of the continued relationship that is ongoing but also indicate a clear pathway for the USA – Pacific Island Leadership programs.
