Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has described his meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, as a defining moment in Papua New Guinea’s efforts to strengthen global partnerships and position itself within key international economic networks.
Prime Minister Marape said it was a high honour to meet a leader who, over the past 50 years, has overseen the transformation of Dubai from a desert settlement into one of the world’s most successful global hubs for commerce, trade, finance and innovation.
“Dubai’s story is one of long-term vision, disciplined leadership and economic diversification,” Prime Minister Marape said. “It is a model worth studying as Papua New Guinea charts its own path towards sustained growth and global competitiveness.”
The Prime Minister said discussions focused on deepening bilateral relations between Papua New Guinea and the UAE, with particular emphasis on aviation connectivity, trade, technology, tourism, investment and institutional cooperation.
He said Papua New Guinea has set clear long-term economic targets to guide these engagements.
“Our goal is to grow Papua New Guinea into a K200 billion economy by 2030, and a US$200 billion economy by 2045,” Prime Minister Marape said. “To achieve this, we must diversify our economy, expand trade partnerships, and integrate more strongly into global value chains.”
A key priority discussed was the advancement of air services arrangements to improve connectivity between Papua New Guinea, the Middle East and international markets.
“We are working towards air services arrangements that will strengthen our links to the Middle East and beyond,” the Prime Minister said.” This will support tourism, business travel, trade and people-to-people connections.”
He said this aligns with ongoing investments to expand and modernise Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby, including upgrades to the international terminal, arrival facilities and supporting infrastructure.
“Our vision is to build a modern international gateway that serves as Papua New Guinea’s outward reach to the world, and an inward access point for global trade, tourism and investment,” he said.
Prime Minister Marape said the Government is also modernising ICT systems at border entry points, including immigration processing and visa clearances, to improve efficiency and meet international standards.
Beyond aviation, the Prime Minister said Papua New Guinea is deliberately broadening its economic focus beyond traditional mining, oil and gas and commodity exports.
“We are expanding into tourism, technology, data and artificial intelligence, alongside our resource sectors,” he said.” This is where countries like the UAE have successfully transformed their economies, and where Papua New Guinea must also position itself.”
He noted that while the UAE was once predominantly dependent on oil and gas, a significant share of its economy is now driven by services, ICT, logistics, finance and global trade.
Prime Minister Marape said Papua New Guinea presents strong fundamentals as an investment destination.
“Papua New Guinea is a robust free-market economy, with an independent court system and a functioning democracy,” he said. “We are located at the far eastern edge of the world, with direct access to South-East Asia, Asia and Pacific markets.”
He said the Government is inviting the UAE to partner with Papua New Guinea by bringing investment capital, technology, systems and manufacturing capacity into the country.
“Our proposition is simple,” Prime Minister Marape said. “From Papua New Guinea, investors can reach some of the world’s fastest-growing markets that are close to us geographically.”
The Prime Minister emphasised that the relationship with the UAE is not limited to government-to-government engagement.
“At the heart of this partnership is business-to-business cooperation,” he said. “We want UAE businesses to establish a stronger presence in Papua New Guinea, and PNG businesses to access Middle Eastern and global markets through the UAE.”
He said the UAE’s role as a major global commodity, logistics and financial hub provides valuable market access opportunities for Papua New Guinea producers and exporters.
As part of strengthening diplomatic and economic ties, Prime Minister Marape confirmed that Papua New Guinea will establish a resident embassy in the United Arab Emirates.
“We are opening an embassy here to support trade, aviation, investment and broader engagement,” he said. “The Ambassador-designate is Mr Frank Asi, a senior Papua New Guinean who has served our country with distinction.”
Prime Minister Marape said the UAE’s global reputation for efficiency, innovation and effective public administration presents opportunities for institutional learning and collaboration.
“The UAE is recognised among the most efficient governments in the world,” he said. “Working with systems of this calibre helps ensure Papua New Guinea keeps pace with a rapidly changing global economy.”
He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to positioning Papua New Guinea as an outward-looking, globally connected nation.
“This engagement is about ensuring Papua New Guinea is not left behind, but moves forward with confidence,” Prime Minister Marape said. “We are building smart partnerships that support long-term growth, diversification and prosperity for our people.”