Papua New Guinea PM calls on Commonwealth Secretary-General

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare called on Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma at the Commonwealth Secretariat on 10 July 2008 during an official visit to London, UK.

They discussed the upcoming visit by the Secretary-General to Papua New Guinea in August, as well as his participation at the Pacific Islands Forum in Niue.

The Prime Minister underlined the significant impacts of climate change being felt in Papua New Guinea and elsewhere in the Pacific region, and expressed the need for capacity-building to meet Pacific states’ pressing needs. The Secretary-General drew attention to the commitments made by the Commonwealth in the 2007 Lake Victoria Climate Change Action Plan, including the provision of assistance to small and vulnerable economies. The Secretary-General undertook to examine options for assisting Papua New Guinea in responding to climate change concerns as a priority.

The Prime Minister also expressed an interest in other technical assistance available through the Commonwealth’s networks. For his part, the Secretary-General welcomed progress on human rights in Papua New Guinea, including the prospective ratification of two core international covenants – the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – which the Prime Minister hoped could be achieved later this year.

Key Links:

• Sustainability
• Country Profile: Papua New Guinea
• Secretary-General