MEDIA RELEASE
3 November 2008
For Immediate Release
JOINT COMMUNIQUE ON THE PNG-AUSTRALIA PARTNERSHIP FOR DEVELOPMENT
We met today to discuss the PNG-Australia Partnership for Development. Our purpose was to progress the Partnership, signed by Prime Ministers Somare and Rudd in Niue in August 2008. The Partnership commits Australia and PNG to work together towards common goals – specifically the Millennium Development Goals and the Long term Development Strategy 2010-2030, to address constraints to service delivery and to make joint financial commitments towards these goals.
PNG and Australia have a strong relationship based on working cooperatively and effectively together, and in that spirit we agreed on the following practical steps to turn the Partnership into a reality and to help the people of PNG receive the services that they need especially education, basic healthcare and transport infrastructure:
• Officials will commence work immediately on an implementation plan towards PNG’s achievement of Universal Basic Education.
• Work will also begin now, in response to the request of the Government of PNG, to work with Exxon Mobil to assist Port Moresby Technical College to develop in PNG the skills required for the LNG project. Over time, this focus will be broadened to include other technical colleges and areas of tertiary education.
• PNG’s National Transport Development Plan (NTDP) will continue to be the focus of joint work in transport. Bringing the existing NTDP priority national roads to good condition remains a priority. In addition, work will commence immediately to update the NTDP. Together with the Asian Development Bank, officials will commence work on joint feasibility studies of new roads proposed by the PNG Government, to identify future priorities. The two Governments will then agree NTDP implementation and funding arrangements.
• It was agreed that Government of PNG would advise its requirements for technical assistance in utilizing supplementary budget funds for health and education infrastructure, held in trust accounts by National Department of Planning and Monitoring and propose solutions for consideration by both Governments.
It was acknowledged that strengthening civil society and maintaining resilient communities were important in achieving social development outcomes.
We agreed that HIV/AIDS and tropical diseases like Malaria and Tuberculosis remain major development challenges for PNG that require serious effort by both Governments.
We also agreed to give priority to progressing Australian support for PNG’s land reform program, recognizing that such assistance will be based on clearly identified needs of the PNG Government.
We have tasked senior officials of both governments to hold High Level Consultations (HLCs) on Friday 28 November 2008 in Sydney to agree: future directions for the Australian aid program; schedules for Transport and Basic Education; and a timetable for finalizing schedules for: Technical/ Vocational Education, Health – including primary health care and plans for specialized hospitals, Public Service Capacity Building and Statistics. Officials will also agree further assistance to the Government of PNG on the utilization of the supplementary budget for health and education infrastructure. Proposals to update the NTDP and planning for feasibility studies for proposed new roads will also be considered.
Officials will jointly report to us on progress on detailed schedules to the Partnership for Development by19 December 2008.
We will jointly report progress in implementing the PNG-Australia Partnership for Development at the next Australia-PNG Ministerial Forum in the first half of 2009.
This meeting was an important further step in the strengthened relationship between the Australian and PNG Governments. We look forward to significant improvements in PNG’s transport, education and health sectors, and improved policy development and program formulation based on sound statistics and performance information and a more efficient and effective public administration at all levels of government, as a result of our work today.
Kokopo, 3 November 2008
__________________ _______________
Paul Tiensten MP Bob McMullan MP
Minister for National Planning Parliamentary Secretary
and District Development for International Development Assistance