Prime Minister Hon. James Marape successfully concluded a long round of back-to-back meetings with heads of governments who arrived in the country to participate in the celebrations marking PNG’s 50th Independence anniversary.

The hectic schedule of meetings and associated events began on Sunday 14 September 2025 with a tree-planting ceremony in the gardens of the National Parliament and ended on Wednesday 17 September 2025 in a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and a roundtable discussion with the Duke of Edinburg, Prince Edward on an education award for PNG schools being installed in the duke’s name.

Alternating between his appearances at the 50th anniversary events and the bi- lateral discussions, PM Marape sat in for the meetings with India, China, the United States of America, Indonesia, France, Japan; and multilateral partners, Asia Development Bank, and visiting members of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).

India was represented by Minister for State for External Affairs and Minister for Textiles, Pabitra Margherita; China by Special Envoy of the Chinese President and Minister for Ecology and Environment, Huang Runqiu; the United States by its Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau; Indonesia by Vice President, Gibran Rakabuming Raka; France by its Representative for the Pacific, Veronique Roger-Lacan; and Japan by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Special Envoy of the Japanese Prime Minister, Takuma Miyaji.

The Prime Minister also met with the President of Asian Development Bank, Masato Kanda; and leaders of the PIF countries who arrived from Solomon Islands after the 54th PIF Leaders Meeting.

The PIF leaders included President of the Federated State of Micronesia, Wesley Simina; President of Palau, Surangel Whipps Jr.; Prime Minister of Niue, Dalton Tagelagi; Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Feleti Teo; Prime Minister of Cook Islands, Mark Brown; Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Jeremiah Manele, and his

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Peter Shanel Agovaka; Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Vanuatu, Johnny Koanapo Rasou; and Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji, Manoa Kamikamica.

•   India: Minister Margherita and PM Marape reaffirmed commitments made by India to support PNG in developing its electoral system, broadcasting, energy transition and decarbonisation, small business development, and pharmaceutical support.

•   China: Special Envoy of the President, Huang Runqiu delivered a personal letter of congratulations directly from President Xi Jinping to Prime Minister Marape. Both leaders affirmed standing commitments in the respective areas of trade, cooperation and development, particularly in climate change, sustainable forestry, and environment conservation.

•   The United States: Deputy Secretary, Christopher Landau and PM Marape signed a framework for strategic cooperation underpinning greater dialogue between USA and PNG; further collaboration in the areas of defence, maritime security, and law enforcement; cooperation in the extraction and processing of critical minerals; a stronger cooperation in trade and investments; and the championing of a secure and trusted digital infrastructure for PNG.

•   Japan: Special Envoy of the Japanese Prime Minister, Takuma Miyaji delivered to Prime Minister Marape a personal letter of congratulations and well wishes from his Prime Minister to the government and the people of PNG on 50 years of Independence. The two leaders reaffirmed their countries commitments in the mutual areas of cooperation in trade and investment, technology and other areas of development.

•   Indonesia; Vice President, Gibran Rakabuming Raka and Prime Minister Marape welcomed the completion of the Standard Operating Procedures of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cross Boarder Movement of Commercial Buses and Coaches. The two leaders also discussed the implementation of Visa on Arrival for Indonesian Ordinary Passport Holders. They also reaffirmed the strong and vital partnership between their two countries that has sustained their countries over the last 50 years based on mutual respect, trust, friendship and cooperation as neigh- bours who share the same border.

•   France: The French Government’s Representative for the Pacific, Veronique Roger-Lacan delivered to Prime Minister Marape President Emmanuel Macron’s congratulatory message and well wishes to him, the government and the people of Papua New Guinea. PM Marape and  Ms. Roger-Lacan reaffirmed France’s support to the Pacific Islands and PNG, especially in the areas of forest management, environment and conservation, and climate risk management.