Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, Hon Peter O’Neill, CMG MP, opening address at the Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting

Thank you for giving me the privilege of formally opening the 8^th Commonwealth Youth Ministers Conference.

I thank the Commonwealth Secretariat, and Ministers, for honouring Papua New Guinea by deciding to hold the 8^th Conference in our country, and in our nation’s capital.

I want to assure you all: You are most welcome guests in Papua New Guinea – and I hope you have time to see the enormous diversity, and beauty of our nation, and enjoy the warmth and hospitality of our people.

I especially welcome the Commonwealth Secretary General, His Excellency Kamalesh Sharma, and the Chairperson of the Pan Commonwealth Youth Caucus, Ms Noelyn Wagapu, and to all Youth Ministers, and your delegations.

I am sure the Chair of the Ministers Meeting, my own Minister for Youth, Honourable Loujaya Toni, and her hard working team have may your stay enjoyable, and I thank the Minister and her team for their hard work.

THE COMMONWEALTH

The Commonwealth is an enormous force for good in a very demanding and changing World.

It is a powerful force for democracy, and for freedom, and among the causes the Commonwealth has really been successful in championing is the role of youth – the contribution our young men and women make to each of our nations, and the Commonwealth as a whole.

Papua New Guinea is proud to be an active and committed member of the Commonwealth, and, as I am sure you are aware, the Head of the Commonwealth, Her Majesty The Queen, is also our Head of State.

I note that the theme for this Conference is – Young People at the Centre of Sustainable Development.

This is a highly relevant theme for a young and growing nation like Papua New Guinea, as I am sure it is for the many developing nations of the Commonwealth – and it is also of importance to even the developed nations.

We have a young population, and a rapidly growing one.

We value the wide ranging contribution by the Commonwealth in helping us address the challenges a young and growing population presents.

Secretary General, I thank you and the Secretariat for your leadership, and I assure you Papua New Guinea is a proud member of the Commonwealth – we value its history and its traditions, and its wide ranging contemporary work.

THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUTH – PAPUA NEW GUINEA

A couple of figures illustrate just how important the role of youth is in Papua New Guinea.

Over the last 30 years, our population has more than tripled – from just over 2 million to 7 million today. We have a high birth rate, and improving health services is driving the percentage of our population under 20 higher even more rapidly.

Today close to half the population of Papua New Guinea is aged 20 years or under!

That reality presents enormous opportunities, but it also presents enormous challenges.

My government has been given the task of robustly addressing these challenges, and I hope that the discussions at this Meeting will add to our store of knowledge and practical experience as we address them.

We have now introduced free school education. This is a really important advancement, one we have been able to implement this year because we are on the cusp of significant revenue inflows thanks to the development of our gas and mining sectors, and especially the commercialisation of our vast gas reserves in less than two years times.

But free education is just the first step along a long and difficult road.

We also need to ensure that we don’t just have free education. We must have universal free education. Far too many of our school age children still do not go to school.

To overcome that, we need more schools and more teachers. The task of training teachers and building schools and class rooms is under way.

Our education budget has been effectively increased by 50 per cent this year – 50 per cent above last year’s budget.

Our next, and undoubtedly most daunting, challenge is going to be to make sure that every child who attends school and completes as high a level as possible can play a productive role in our nation, and in their own community.

By “productive” I mean “productive” in the widest possible use of the word.

We simply cannot guarantee every university graduate, or year 12 school graduate, a job in the formal employment environment, let alone the tens of thousands who leave school at lower levels each year.

But what I believe we can guarantee them is that if they are prepared to work the land in and around their own village communities, the government can help them be successful at doing so.

So we have to rebuild agriculture not just to boost exports and help meet the food needs of the world, but also to ensure that the maximum number of young people can lead productive lives when they leave school. Agriculture is a key to that.

Another key is small to medium business development.

My government is implementing a wide ranging 12 point plan to develop the small and medium enterprise sector owned by our own people – and especially our young people.

The program is backed up by substantial government funding to ensure our small to medium business sector growth rapidly, and is broadly based.

If we achieve that, then we will be able to make an impact on unemployment, and provide opportunity for our young men and women in particular.

We are fortunate that, within two years, the revenues available to the national government will lift substantially, and will continue to increase provided we manage resource development wisely and well – and provided we use the revenue inflows sensibly.

That is a challenge for my government – but it is one we embrace with enthusiasm and with confidence.

The other great contribution we have already made towards offering our youth greater opportunity is political stability.

I am proud to tell you that the nation you are visiting is enjoying unprecedented political stability and certainty.

I believe it is our greatest achievement……and I believe it offers a path way towards a better future, and greater and more shared, opportunity for our youth.

With political stability we can focus on improving the delivery and quality of services, education being foremost among them along with health.

And with political stability we can deliver sustainable resource and wider economic development, and employment growth.

So, distinguished guests, while we have significant challenges, we have not just a vision for the future, but practical and affordable programs to meet those challenges and deliver on that vision.

EMPOWERING YOUTH TO ACHIEVE

That brings me to the final point I would like to leave with you before I formally open your Conference.

I believe governments, and leaders of governments, need to be more pro-active in looking at ways of “empowering” our youth to assist them achieve the very utmost their education, their ability, and their capacity to work hard makes possible.

I recently commented when addressing a student gathering that I want every young Papua New Guinean to be “aspirational”….to aspire to achieve as much as they can as members of our community.

I don’t mind if they “aspire” to be Prime Minister! Just as long as they “aspire” to do or achieve something!

I think we need to look at new ways governments can help our young people to be truly aspirational, and, yes, even ambitious.

I am sure that is what young Papua New Guineans want. And I hope and believe it is what their parents want for them.

Enabling young people to aspire and achieve puts an extra burden on governments.

We have to do much more to increase jobs and training for our people.

We have to do more to give young people the opportunity to enter the small to medium business sector – and to enjoy the challenge that goes with being in small business.

We also have to urgently rebuild, and grow our agricultural sector…..for that is where the majority of Papua New Guineans live and gain income and food from, and that is where the best future of their sons and daughters lies.

And we have to look at areas where employment and opportunity can rapidly develop, such as tourism.

I am confident that, given the opportunity, our young people will not just embrace it, they will also aspire to do the very best they can.

And the job of government, put simply, is to make sure as many as possible can do so.

That is a challenge my government accepts – and the policies and programs I have outlined briefly are all directed towards that end outcome.

We are making progress.

But we have many challenges ahead.

If we work together we can meet them.

CONCLUSION

On that optimistic and positive note, can I again welcome you to Papua New Guinea.

I am sure my Minister and our Officials will keenly listen to and take part in the discussions – and draw from your experiences in meeting the many challenges the youth of today, and a growing and young population, present.

I hope you enjoy in every way your stay with us – and that you will leave our shores with fond memories, and a keenness to return again.

I am delighted to officially declare open the 8^th Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting.