Port Moresby, 5 February 2025 — Papua New Guinea’s Department of National Planning and Monitoring Secretary, Koney Samuel, met with New Zealand’s Deputy High Commissioner to PNG, Charlie Gillard, and his team today to discuss continued cooperation under the new PNG Four-Year Plan.
The plan will guide New Zealand’s development program in PNG from 2025 onwards, focusing on critical sectors including agriculture, gender equality, security and peacebuilding, health, energy, and climate change.
Secretary Samuel acknowledged the strong and longstanding partnership between the two countries, which has thrived since diplomatic relations were established in 1975. He reaffirmed PNG’s national development priorities as detailed in the Medium Term Development Plan 2023–2027 (MTDP IV).
Deputy High Commissioner Gillard emphasized New Zealand’s commitment to strategically align its support with areas where it has a comparative advantage and can contribute most effectively to PNG’s sustainable development goals.