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Bougainvilleans Should Enhance Their Skills and Potential for Socio-Economic Development

28 October 2005

Left to right: Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nick Peniai; Joseph Kabui, President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville; and Secretary-General Don McKinnon

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said the real challenge for the people of Bougainville is to gain economic autonomy now that it has achieved political autonomy. He said this during a visit to Bougainville on 28 October 2005.

The Secretary-General was accompanied by Sir Peter Barter, Minister of Inter-Government Relations of Papua New Guinea, and President Joseph Kabui of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

During the visit, they attended an official opening of a library at the Sovele Primary School in Bana District. Mr McKinnon commended the efforts of Sir Peter and President Kabui in taking forward the peace process. He acknowledged the challenges ahead and encouraged the people of Bougainville to build on their achievements reached so far, following their historic elections for autonomy in June 2005. The Secretary-General urged the Bougainvilleans to develop their skills and potential to harness the rich resources of their island.

President Kabui expressed his appreciation for the Secretary-General's continued interest in Bougainville, which dates back to the 1990s. Mr McKinnon was then the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of New Zealand who initiated and oversaw the brokering of a ceasefire between Bougainvilleans and the Government of Papua New Guinea. These efforts led to the signing of a peace agreement in 1997.

The Bougainville President shared his hopes that the island would one day be "the Singapore of the South Pacific" in its level of socio-economic development.

During his visit, the Secretary-General also met Bougainville's Vice-President Joseph Watawi and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nick Peniai.