Prime Minister Hon. James Marape today briefed the media at the APEC Terminal, Jacksons International Airport, before departing for the PNG Investment Week hosted alongside the PNG Chamber of Resources and Energy (PNG CORE) Conference in Sydney, Australia. The event runs from 8–11 December and is expected to be one of the country’s most significant investment gatherings.
Prime Minister Marape noted that this year’s conference is historic, as it will feature—for the first time—the attendance of the Australian Prime Minister, who will jointly open the 2025 PNG CORE Conference.
He said the four-day program, organised under the PNG CORE initiative, is built around key thematic areas including regulation, climate, investment, and infrastructure.
The Prime Minister acknowledged Mr. Anthony Smaré and his team for positioning Papua New Guinea as a safe and attractive investment destination, noting that this year’s event is expected to draw more than 2,000 participants and a number of parallel meetings.
He said discussions will centre on investment opportunities in PNG, regulatory frameworks, and government infrastructure priorities, with particular emphasis on the mining and petroleum sectors.
“Expanding the scope of this conference gives a holistic view of our country as an investment destination and strengthens the full machinery of investment promotion for PNG. Papua New Guinea is not new to mining, petroleum, and gas,” Prime Minister Marape said.
Reflecting on the country’s long history in resource development, he referred to the early 1920s activity in Bulolo and Wau—once among the busiest air-transportation corridors in the world due to mining—as well as the continuous international operation of the Kumul facility since 1990.
“We’ve been known as an exploration and mining country. A testament to this is the fact that once agreements are signed, our mines are run without disturbance. That is a proud record for Papua New Guinea—a country where investors can begin construction, move to production, and see dividends for both the nation and themselves,” he added.
The Prime Minister further expressed appreciation to the PNG Chamber of Resources and Energy “for maintaining focus not only on meetings but also on the traditional core areas of mining, petroleum, and gas.”
He highlighted PNG’s strong partnerships with some of the world’s largest and most reputable energy companies—such as ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, and Santos—saying these companies’ continued presence demonstrates confidence in PNG’s regulatory and policy settings.
Prime Minister Marape also pointed to several major resource projects—both sanctioned and in advanced stages—that will be presented to investors during the conference. PNG currently has 20 significant mining, petroleum, and energy projects in the pipeline.
“These projects will be sequenced over the next 10 to 15 years. They represent continuous construction activity that will carry us into 2035 and 2040, transforming our economy from K133 billion to a K200 billion economy,” he said.
Reaffirming his role as the nation’s chief advocate for investment, he stated:
“Our job is to provide motivation and direction—not only to investors but also to our state-owned agencies and our people. Papua New Guinea must never be doubted as a serious, credible investment destination.”
He stressed that the PNG CORE conference is vital for the nation’s economic future.
“For a country like PNG with over 10 million people, we need an economy sized above K200 billion. As we pursue that target, a larger and stronger economy will allow government to sustainably support education, health, law and order, infrastructure, and other essential expenditures,” Prime Minister Marape said.
The joint opening ceremony with the Australian Prime Minister will further elevate PNG’s standing in the global resources and energy sector, strengthen bilateral ties with Australia—PNG’s closest strategic partner—and precede the signing of an important Memorandum of Understanding tomorrow.