Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has welcomed major progress in strategic cooperation between Papua New Guinea and France following high-level discussions held on Tuesday, 19 May 2026, in Paris with officials from Agence Française de Développement (AFD), French Government representatives, and European development partners.
The discussions focused on several key areas of cooperation, including:
* redevelopment of the Port of Rabaul,
* renewable energy partnerships,
* climate and biodiversity conservation,
* green finance,
* and future economic cooperation between Papua New Guinea and France.
Prime Minister Marape thanked France, AFD, the European Union and the European Investment Bank for their growing partnership with Papua New Guinea.
“We came here not to ask for anything, but to say thank you for your partnership with Papua New Guinea,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“We appreciate the work France and AFD are doing in our country, particularly in helping us build infrastructure, protect biodiversity, transition towards clean energy, and create a better future for our people and our planet.”
Major Progress On Rabaul Port Redevelopment
Prime Minister Marape said one of the major outcomes of the meeting was confirmation that financing negotiations for the redevelopment of Rabaul Port were now nearing completion.
The Prime Minister said the project had recently received National Executive Council approval and was expected to move towards signing in the coming weeks.
The project forms part of a broader “green port” strategy and is jointly financed by AFD, the European Investment Bank, and the European Union.Prime Minister Marape described the redevelopment of Rabaul as a strategic national project that would transform East New Britain and strengthen Papua New Guinea’s position in Pacific trade and logistics. “Before the volcanic eruptions of 1994, Rabaul was regarded as one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world,” he said.
“The restoration and redevelopment of Rabaul is not just for East New Britain Province, but for the whole country and the Pacific region.”
The Prime Minister said the Government’s vision was to transform Rabaul into:
* a major regional import-export hub,
* a Pacific redistribution centre,
* and a modern green port supporting tourism, trade, manufacturing, and downstream processing industries.
He said opportunities existed for:
* cacao processing,
* fish processing,
* sustainable timber downstream processing,
* renewable energy investment,
* geothermal development,
* and wider private sector investment.
“With the development of the port comes the opportunity to establish industries around it,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“We want economic activity surrounding the port — processing our cocoa, our fisheries products, and our timber sustainably here in Papua New Guinea before export.”
Prime Minister Marape also promoted Papua New Guinea’s internationally recognised cocoa industry.
“In my view, we have some of the best cacao in the world,” he said.
PNG-France Cooperation On Climate And Biodiversity
Prime Minister Marape also welcomed continued progress under the SoNG Project — “Solwara na Graun blo Pipol” (“The Ocean and the Land for the People”) — a major PNG-France climate and biodiversity initiative supported by AFD and its partners.
The programme supports:
* marine conservation,
* forest preservation,
* biodiversity protection,
* and community-based climate resilience initiatives across Papua New Guinea.
“Papua New Guinea possesses some of the last remaining pristine biodiversity on Earth,” he said.
“We have around six percent of the world’s biodiversity in our forests and oceans. These are not only PNG assets — they are assets for humanity.”
Prime Minister Marape also referenced Papua New Guinea’s recent hosting of the Indonesian Ocean Summit, which brought together leaders and representatives from Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand to discuss ocean conservation and climate action.
He highlighted the Government’s recent conservation initiatives, including the protection of major marine areas around Manus Province.
The Prime Minister praised President Emmanuel Macron and France for showing global leadership on climate action.
“France has shown moral leadership in this space,” he said.
“You are not only speaking about climate change — you are actively participating in helping nations like Papua New Guinea protect forests, oceans, and biodiversity.”
Renewable Energy And Green Finance Partnership
Prime Minister Marape also outlined Papua New Guinea’s ambition to transition towards renewable energy over the next decade.
He said PNG intended to increasingly utilise:
* hydro power,
* solar energy,
* and geothermal energy
to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
“We want Papua New Guinea to become a strong green energy nation,” he said.
“Our hydro potential is enormous. Our solar potential is year-round. Our geothermal opportunities are significant, especially around volcanic areas like Rabaul.”
Prime Minister Marape revealed discussions on:
* renewable energy partnerships,
* green finance,
* battery technology research,
* and PNG Power reforms.
The Prime Minister also called for partnerships between French universities and the Papua New Guinea University of Technology in renewable energy and battery technology research.
“There is enormous opportunity in battery technology, clean energy innovation, and renewable energy systems,” Prime Minister Marape said.
Prime Minister Marape further indicated that the Government was progressing reforms within PNG Power Ltd, including possible partial private sector participation to improve efficiency, management, and investment capacity.
The Prime Minister also welcomed ongoing cooperation between AFD, the Bank of Papua New Guinea and the Global Green Growth Institute on green finance initiatives.
Partnership For Future Generations
Prime Minister Marape concluded by saying the partnership between Papua New Guinea and France would benefit future generations of both nations.
“Our terms in office are temporary, but the relationship between our two countries will continue for generations,” he said.
“What we are doing today is building bridges into the future for our children and grandchildren.”
Prime Minister Marape is continuing his official visit to France, where he is expected to hold further discussions with
President Emmanuel Macron, French Government officials, business leaders, and development partners.