Port Moresby, 18 March 2025 — Foreign investments and international aid flowing into Papua New Guinea must be effective and produce visible, tangible benefits for communities across the country, stressed Secretary for the Department of National Planning and Monitoring, Koney Samuel.
Speaking at the opening of the Joint Technical Working Group Special Session on the Development Cooperation Policy (DCP), Secretary Samuel called for increased accountability and alignment of aid programs with national development priorities.
“The aid we receive must be effective, visible, measurable, and quantifiable,” he emphasized. “Decisions made here in Port Moresby must reach the last person living in the most remote parts of our country — that’s what matters most.”
The session reviewed key findings and recommendations from the evaluation of the current Development Cooperation Policy covering 2018–2022, and discussed progress on formulating the third phase, DCP 3. Representatives from development partners, government agencies, and other stakeholders participated in the dialogue.
Secretary Samuel highlighted the importance of aligning development assistance with Papua New Guinea’s Medium-Term Development Plan 2023–2027 (MTDP IV), which sets clear indicators and targets to drive the nation’s development agenda. He urged all development partners and government sectors to coordinate their efforts closely to ensure resources are deployed efficiently and yield measurable outcomes.
“The MTDP IV outlines where we want to go as a nation. For aid to be truly effective, it must support these goals and deliver benefits that can be seen and measured on the ground,” said Samuel.
He further called for enhanced transparency, robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and strengthened partnerships to maximize the impact of aid programs. By ensuring cooperation and shared accountability, the government aims to improve service delivery and foster sustainable development in all provinces — particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
This emphasis on aid effectiveness comes amid increasing demands for better use of foreign assistance to address PNG’s development challenges, including infrastructure deficits, health services, education, and economic growth.
As PNG pursues its Vision 2050 and steps into a new phase of development cooperation, Secretary Samuel’s call underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring that external support translates into real, lasting improvements in the lives of its citizens.