PAPUA New Guinea and the Solomon Islands will deepen cooperation in mining, fisheries, trade and investment after talks between Prime Ministers James Marape and Matthew Wale in Honiara.
Marape said the two leaders agreed to meet again in August to progress talks on joint commercial opportunities, including possible Papua New Guinean participation in the Solomon Islands’ mining sector.
“We discussed many issues of mutual interest between our two countries and agreed that we will meet again in August to consolidate the discussions we had,” Marape said after returning to Port Moresby.
He said the relationship between the neighbours extended beyond governments.
“Our relationship is not just government to government. It is also business to business and, more importantly, people to people,” he said.
Marape said Papua New Guinean companies were the largest foreign investors in the Solomon Islands, with investments in banking, telecommunications, hospitality and agriculture.
“Papua New Guinean businesses are the biggest overseas investors in the Solomon Islands, and we want to continue building on that strong economic partnership,” he said.
The talks also covered fisheries, which Marape said offered an immediate area for cooperation.
“We agreed that the fisheries sector should be explored jointly,” he said, adding that both governments wanted “greater economic prosperity” for their people.
Marape said Wale had urged Papua New Guinea to look seriously at opportunities in Solomon Islands’ mining industry and had invited state-owned Kumul Minerals Holdings Ltd to explore partnerships.
“Prime Minister Wale made it absolutely clear that he wants Papua New Guinea to look seriously at opportunities in Solomon Islands’ mining sector and participate in a meaningful way,” Marape said.
The two governments will also work with the private sector through the PNG-Solomon Islands Business Council, which is due to meet in August to identify new investment opportunities.
Marape said more than 200 revival church members and over 150 Seventh-day Adventist pastors from Papua New Guinea had travelled to the Solomon Islands over the weekend, underscoring the social and cultural links between the countries.
“As members of the Melanesian family, we have every reason to work more closely together to create opportunities for our people,” he said.
