Prime Minister, Hon. James Marape, has arrived in the United States of America to begin an important diplomatic week at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
Flying in from Washington, DC, the Prime Minister was received by Papua New Guinea’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, H.E Fred Sarufa at La Guardia Airport, New York, today at 12:49 PM (New York Time).
Prime Minister Marape begins his packed New York itinerary tonight with a dinner hosted by President of the United States, H.E Donald Trump in honour of the 81st UNGA.
Moving away from standard diplomatic observation, the Prime Minister has a demanding schedule filled with key bilateral talks, specialized international summits, and corporate roundtables.
This full itinerary will culminate on Friday, September 25, when Prime Minister Marape takes the global stage to address the 81st UNGA General Assembly and deliver the Papua New Guinea Country Statement (4:00 AM, Saturday, September 26, PNG Time).
The Prime Minister’s schedule for the week includes the following central engagements:
Tuesday, 22 September: Arrival & Welcome
• 12:49 PM – Arrival: Prime Minister Marape lands in New York City.
• 7:00 PM – U.S. Presidential Reception: Prime Minister and Mrs Rachael Marape attend the official reception hosted by the President of the United States in honour of the 81st UNGA session.
Wednesday, 23 September: Bilaterals & Climate Action
• 10:00 AM – United States Bilateral: Prime Minister Marape holds a bilateral meeting with Mr. Michael George DeSombre, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, to discuss regional security, trade, and economic cooperation.
• 3:00 PM – Special High-Level Climate Summit: The Prime Minister ad dresses the UN Secretary-General’s Special High-Level Summit on Cli- mate Action in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, presenting PNG’s firm position on sustainable climate adaptation and a just transition.
• 6:30 PM – Atlantic Council Awards: Prime Minister Marape attends the prestigious Atlantic Council Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, following a special invitation by the Prime Minister of Australia, Hon. Anthony Albanese, where he will introduce Prime Minister Albanese at the awards ceremony.
Thursday, 24 September: Global Peacebuilding & Economic Part- nership
• 7:30 AM – AOSIS Leaders Breakfast: The Prime Minister attends the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Leaders Breakfast, hosted by the Pres- ident of Palau, to align on collective maritime priorities.
• 10:00 AM – Keynote Address on Global Peacekeeping: In a historic recognition of PNG’s conflict-resolution achievements, Prime Minister Marape delivers a vital Keynote Address to the United Nations Peace- building Commission (PBC) Ministerial Meeting. He will present PNG’s homegrown blueprint of enduring harmony based on the mature, 25- year peaceful handling and parliamentary tabling of the Bougainville issue.
• 10:45 AM – Sea-Level Rise Plenary: PNG participates in the High-Level Plenary Meeting addressing the existential environmental threats of sea- level rise.
• 5:15 PM – High-Level US Private Sector Roundtable: The Prime Minister ad- dresses prominent corporate executives from the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), pitching strong commercial, energy, and investment partnerships inside Papua New Guinea.
• 6:00 PM – Pacific Joint Reception: Attendance at the Pacific Islands Fo- rum (PIF) and AOSIS High-Level Partnership Joint Cocktail Reception.
Friday, 25 September: Itinerary Culmination & Country Statement
• 9:00 AM – Pacific Leaders Multilateral: The Prime Minister takes part in the specialized meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders with UN Secretary-General, H.E Antonio Guterres.
• 10:00 AM – US “Trade Over Aid” Initiative: Prime Minister Marape participates in the United States’ landmark event on the Trade Over Aid Initiative, hosted by Deputy Secretary of State Hon. Christopher Landau, steering external relations toward sustainable market investment.
• 2:00 PM – Delivery of the PNG Country Statement (4:00 AM, Saturday, September 26, PNG Time): In the culmination of his high-level week, Prime Minister Marape takes the global stage at the General Assembly Hall to address the 81st UNGA General Assembly and deliver the official Papua New Guinea Country Statement.
• 3:15 PM – Final Courtesy Call: The Prime Minister conducts an official, one-on-one courtesy call on UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, who is ending his term in office at the end of this year.
Prime Minister Marape and his ministerial delegation will depart New York on Sunday, 27 September. This intense week of legal, environmental, and corporate negotiation re-establishes Papua New Guinea’s standing as an active, solution-focused leader on the global stage.