The 2nd Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Summit ended this afternoon in Port Moresby city, closing off three (3) days of dialogues where much was talked about in terms of boosting investor confidence, but perhaps what transpired from this, is the need to fully secure investors. This was highlighted by the Mining Minister Rainbo Paita who was guest speaker at the closing at the APEC Haus. He said a lot can be talked about on the potentials that Papua New Guinea has in terms of resources available for investment opportunities; however, what is all that without securing investors to actually come into to the country to make the investments, which will then lead to economic progress, job creation and a lot more benefits that comes along with it. He said on the back of the SEZ projects, PNG has the capacity to propel itself to be a robust economy with better conditions for its people in the next 5 to 10 years. And he said by being competitive in providing better incentives for investors, pulling them in instead of going elsewhere, is what must be prioritized through government policies. “In special economic zones, we have to be competitive. We have to be competitive with Indonesia; we have to be competitive with China. We have to have competitive policies, advantages that make us standout,” said Minister Paita. He said investors must be given an irresistible reason to come and spend their money in PNG, in the SEZ projects that’s coming up right now. Meanwhile, the Minister also took the time to appreciate the enormous work done by the Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Ramu, whom he describes as a Minister who is adamant and passionate in developing the SEZ as a source of revenue for the country and a source of employment for many Papua New Guineans. Meantime, Minister Maru said all the recommendations and conclusions that were made during the 3- day Summit, will be submitted to Cabinet soon. From there PNG will chart a way forward with regards to implementing them.

The 2nd Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Summit is currently underway in Port Moresby city, where much was presented and dialogues held between delegates after receiving assurance from the Prime Minister, of Papua New Guinea (PNG) being an investor friendly country. Prime Minister James Marape spoke at the opening of the Summit, stating that investors will receive VIP treatment should they choose to do business in any of the eight (8 SEZ projects coming in the country. “I want to give you full assurance that any and every incentive that is out there, we will make sure we give to those of you who find resident in our special economic zone or a special economic zone that you may propose, so that you settle, you participate in business,” he said. Prime Minister Marape painted a good picture of the country’s economy to the visitors, saying that PNG’s economy has grown from K79 billion in 2019 when he took office to about K132 billion today, with a long-term target of reaching K200 billion before 2035. “Since independence in 1975, we have over-relied on the mining and petroleum sectors. But for the first time in decades, the non-resource sectors of our economy have grown at around 4% annually for four years in a row,” Prime Minister Marape said. Having said that, the Prime Minister then reassured investors that PNG respects agreements and provides a safe, democratic environment for business. “We may not like every agreement signed in the past, but as a government we do not tear up contracts. We honour them until they expire. That is the confidence investors need,” Prime Minister Marape said. Looking ahead, the Prime Minister said the SEZ initiative is part of a broader vision to grow PNG into a K500 billion economy by 2045, backed by about 20 proven petroleum and mineral projects and downstream opportunities in agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. Marape also underscored PNG’s growing role in the international arena, noting its membership of APEC, ASEAN (soon to be full), and the Pacific Islands Forum, while maintaining strong ties with Australia, China, ASEAN neighbours, and the wider Indo-Pacific. He said PNG is not interested in any geopolitical agenda but just wants to do good business with its partners, old and new ones. The PM then urged investors not to leave the country without forging partnerships with local Businesses.

The inaugural Pacific Islands Regimental Black-Tie Dinner was held last night in Port Moresby city where an important point about the wellbeing of service men and women was made by the guest of honour, the Governor General of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Reflecting on the nature of the duties and responsibilities of the personnel in the military, Governor General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae said Papua New Guinea’s fine service men and women are able and willing to make sacrifices for the good of the country and to protect it from all forms of enemies from within and from outside, so better recognition and well fare must be accorded to them going forward. “As we celebrate our 50th Independence Anniversary this year, and the 60th anniversary of the RPIR (Royal Pacific Islands Regiment), it is time we seriously direct attention to the physical wellbeing of our servicemen and women. By that I mean developing and improving our military health facilities to cater for both physical and psychological rehabilitation of our defence force,” said the Governor General. “This should be geared towards providing and sustaining professional and specialist services for mental and emotional support through therapy, professional counselling and guidance, as well as regular physical exercise and fitness program, in all our military establishments throughout the country.” Governor General Sir Bob Dadae believes that by doing this, it will go a long way in addressing psychological trauma, mental stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other such mental issues that affect a lot of service personnel. “Through such rehabilitation programs, our servicemen will be able to reorient back into civil society and are better able to deal with, and avoid resorting to unhealthy and harmful habits such as drug and alcohol abuse, violence and engaging in criminal activities.” “I believe this will make a huge difference to the health and well-being of our servicemen and veterans alike, many of whom still face mental stress and trauma experienced in their line of duty.” He said it will also greatly reduce the high occurrence of lifestyle diseases, which can be linked to psychological trauma, and which has claimed more lives of men in active duty than from active combat or battle operations. In line with the welfare and physical support for Defence Force personnel, the Governor General also made a call for the establishment of a dedicated Department for Veterans Affairs, a body that will be tasked to oversee the welfare of our veterans once they transition from active duty in the Regiment and the Defence Force, to civilian life, as more and more former members of the Regiment are phased out from active service. Meanwhile, the Pacific Islands Regimental Black-Tie event was attended by veterans and servicemen and women of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF), on the milestone occasion of celebrating the 60th anniversary of the RPIR. They include former Commanders of the PNGDF like Retired Brigadier General Jerry Singirok, Retired Brigadier General Francis Agwi along with other former senior military officers.

The Papua New Guinea Defence (PNGDF) National Unity Walk under Exercise “Antap Lon Ol”, which commenced back in July in the East Sepik province to commemorate the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary, has ended today at the Taurama Barracks in Port Moresby city. The defence force team comprising of more than 30 men from the First Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (1RPIR) marched into the main gate of the barracks this morning, welcomed by families of the service men and women. The team was in possession of the Independence Message passed down from the first team from the Second Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (2RPIR) at Moem Barracks who started the walk from Wewak. Director of Land Preparation and Director of Exercise Antap Lon Ol, Lt. Col. Donald Aisuk, was there to receive the message and the Walk Baton to mark the end of this phase of the PNGDF commemoration of Papua New Guinea’s 50th anniversary, which began on July 9th, 2025. “We have completed the walk with the last land force element coming into Port Moresby this morning,” said the Lt. Col. “For phase one, the walk covered from Wewak to Madang, which was conducted by the Second Battalion. In Madang, going into phase two, the walk baton was handed over to the Engineering Battalion based in Lae.” “So, the Engineering Battalion conducted the walk from Madang all the way to Lae, and that concluded phase 2 and then handed over to the Long-Range Renascence Unit which tracked from Lae, through Wau (district), over the Bulldog Track and into Gulf province at Malalaua station.” “So, as of last weekend, the baton was handed over to the First Battalion and covered 200km walking from Malalaua station all the way to Laloki Bridge (Central province).” "This concludes phase four of the exercise Antap Lon Ol. We still have phase five to be conducted come Monday on the 1st of September,” he said. He revealed that the walk will conclude with the Freedom of Entry March into Port Moresby city, where all teams will gather at Laloki bridge early Monday morning and conduct the walk into Port Moresby city. The march will commence at 4am in the morning at Laloki bridge. Once in the city, the party will then gather at the Unagi Oval at Gordons and then proceed with the PNGDF band to the National Parliament where the message will be passed onto the government. For now, the team will rest and prepare for the next phase of the PNGDF celebrations of PNG’s 50th Independence Anniversary.

The Nambawan Super Limited (NSL) branch in Madang has relocated to a new place to give its members and employers a more conducive environment to do business. The NSL branch has relocated to the Ground Floor of the Fenske Aben Building at Modilon Road. The Branch is now open for business, welcoming Members and Employers to enjoy more space, modern facilities, and a comfortable environment. NSL Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Paul Sayer said the relocation is part of improving their services. “This relocation is part of NSL’s larger Branch Relocation and Expansion Project that aims to bring services closer to Members’ doorsteps while also improving on the quality of services and facilities provided.” “All our new and relocated Branches have been upgraded to improve on Members’ experience and ensure our staff have everything they need to deliver the same high-quality services.” “Through this exercise, we want to ensure that we can provide a standard welcoming look and feel across all our 22 Branches nationwide so that our members receive the same level of high-quality service wherever they are.” While the Madang Branch is already serving Members, the official opening ceremony will take place later this year in September as part of NSL’s celebrations of Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary.

Landowners in Simberi in the New Ireland province are a step closer to realizing the benefits from the mine project on their land with the Community Development Agreement (CDA) now ready to be signed. The Simberi Mining Area Landowner Association (SMAA) is poised to sign the long-delayed Community Development Agreement (CDA) tomorrow, Friday August 29th in Port Moresby city, in order to unlock the long-promised benefits and services. Originally approved by the National Executive Council (NEC) in 2013 under the then Prime Minister Peter O’Neill's Government, the CDA could not be signed due to issues. Now, more than a decade later, SMAA executives and 31 of its members have formally requested the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) to proceed with the signing, eager to unlock long-promised benefits and services. In response, MRA Managing Director Jerry Garry affirmed the Authority’s commitment to facilitating the signing, in line with its mandate. He emphasized that under Prime Minister James Marape’s leadership, the government is determined to ensure landowners receive greater returns from their natural resources. Mr. Garry highlighted MRA’s ongoing efforts to improve the livelihoods of resource landowners, citing the Woodlark housing relocation project as a prime example. He also briefed SMAA members on the future of the Simberi project and broader government plans aimed at enhancing landowner participation and benefit-sharing. Meanwhile, Over the past four weeks, SMAA executives and 30 members have been in Port Moresby undergoing intensive training, now successfully completed. The program was delivered by three institutions: the Somare Institute of Leadership & Governance (SILAG), the PNG Institute of Banking & Business Management (IBBM), and the Center for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI). SILAG focused on development plan alignment and formulation, IBBM offered courses on influential leadership and governance, while CEFI provided financial literacy training. All sessions were proudly sponsored by the MRA.  

The Enga Provincial Health Authority (EPH) has paid its tax and becomes the first government entity in the Highlands Region to do so. The PHA is the first government entity in the Highlands Region to lodge its Section 65A Goods and Services Tax (GST) withholding payments, totaling K53,049.04 to the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC). This was done under the leadership of PHA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Vincent Pyakalyia and his Deputy Director Finance & Admin, Mr. Bernard Philipae. During the S65A awareness session held at the Malyam Hotel Conference Room, the IRC team covered key topics with the EPH Accounts Division, including: How Section 65A GST withholding operates in practice, The step-by-step process of remitting withheld GST to IRC, Proper record-keeping and reporting requirements, and Addressing common compliance challenges faced by government entities. CEO Pyakalyia acknowledged the leadership issues that have affected EPH in past years but emphasized his commitment since taking office to establish stronger systems and processes and raise compliance standards across the organization. Mr. Freddy Simon, the newly appointed Manager of the Wabag Tax Office received the cheque payments, witnessed by Highlands Regional Director, Mr. Collin Kuti, and the joint IRC inspection team from Port Moresby. Following this, the IRC presented the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Certificate to the EPH, officially recognizing the entity’s compliance efforts. “This is the first of its kind and a significant milestone for EPH,” said Mr. Simon. “It strengthens our partnership and paves the way for improved collaboration and accountability moving forward.” The IRC commended EPH for leading by example, noting that the initiative marks a turning point in transparency, governance, and tax compliance in the Highlands region.

A Chinese delegation comprising of thirty (30) people is expected to arrive in Papua New Guinea (PNG) tomorrow on a specific mission to explore more potential investment opportunities in the country. The Chinese delegation will be here in country to attend the three- day 2nd PNG Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Summit 2025 in Port Moresby city, where much will be talked about in terms of business investments in the upcoming SEZ projects in the country. The group is the first international delegation to arrive for the Summit this year. They arrive tomorrow from Hong Kong. “The 30 Chinese delegates led by our Ambassador to China, His Excellency Dr. Thaddeus Kambanei, will arrive at 5am tomorrow. There will be a welcome reception hosted to receive them,” stated the Ministry for International Trade and Investment. The 2nd PNG SEZ Summit will be hosted by the National Government as part of the 50th Independence Celebrations, under the theme: “Reflecting on Our Past 50 Years and Charting our Next 50 Years”. Minister for International Trade and Investment, Richard Maru, highlighted that the main purpose of this Summit is to take a stock take of PNG’s journey in the last 50 years in terms of economic development to know where we are now. The 2nd SEZ Summit will launch on Sunday 31st August and will run from September 1st to September 3rd. All the meetings and dialogues will take place at the APEC Haus.

The Young Minds Savings Campaign (YMSC) is currently being rolled out across six schools in the East New Britain (ENB) province, aimed at financially empower students through financial literacy. Running from August 25th to August 27th, the campaign aims to empower school students with essential financial literacy skills on savings and budget and opening bank accounts. The initiative is part of the National Government’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) 2023–2027 and provincial engagement programmes, coordinated by the Centre for Excellence in Financial Inclusion (CEFI). It’s being delivered in partnership with the East New Britain Provincial Government, with support from the Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG) and major financial sector stakeholders, including the Securities Commission of PNG, Treasury, and leading banks, superfunds, and insurance providers. Over the three-day campaign, the YMSC reached six schools within and outside Kokopo town, including: • Kokopo Primary School • Kokopo Secondary School • St Martin Primary School • Malaguna Technical School • Kerevat Primary School • Kerevat National High School Students took part in interactive awareness sessions, discussions with financial experts, and opportunities to open savings accounts on site. Speaking ahead of the campaign, Mr. Peter Samuel, Acting Executive Director of CEFI, said that school children are the leaders and entrepreneurs of the future. “By encouraging a culture of saving at an early age, students would be equipped with the tools to take control of their financial future.” The initiative directly contributes to the NFIS target of opening two million new bank accounts nationwide. Participating institutions in this campaign include Credit Guarantee Corporation (CGC), MiBank, Women’s Micro Bank, BSP Financial Group Limited, Kina Bank, Teachers Savings and Loan Society (TISA), Kada Poroman, Nasfund, Nambawan Super, Credit Bank, East New Britain Savings & Loans, BSP Life, among other licensed financial organizations. Meanwhile, the campaign has already proven effective in two provinces last year, that is Milne Bay and West New Britain.

The recent launching of the National Banking Corporation (NBC) VISA Debit card is just the start of things to come for the newest bank in the country to roll out more modern banking services for its customers across Papua New Guinea (PNG). This was revealed by NBC’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Paul Thornton at the launching on Thursday 21st August at the NBC branch at the Vision City Shopping Mall in Port Moresby city. He said the VISA launch is part of a broader transformation in how they serve customers. “Our vision is clear; we aim to expand access to modern banking across the country by innovating with technology that brings our services closer to the people. We are committed to delivering products that are simple, secure, and designed to meet real needs.” “In the months ahead, we will continue to introduce solutions that empower individuals, strengthen businesses, and support communities, ensuring NBC remains the bank that understands and works for the people of Papua New Guinea.” Meanwhile, the NBC’s VISA Debit card is now available to customers nationwide.

The price inspection on the thirteen (13) household items exempted from the ten percent (10%) Goods and Services Tax (GST) under the government’s zero-rating policy, has found multiple breaches to this policy in the Highlands Region. The operation, led by the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) in strategic collaboration with the Independent Consumer and Competitions Commission (ICCC) and the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Customs Services, was launched recently in Goroka in Eastern Highlands province with inspections targeting retail outlets selling the 13 designated zero-rated items. Preliminary findings from this inspection revealed multiple breaches. Several retailers (shops) were found to be charging GST on items officially listed as zero-rated. In response, formal warning notices were issued, instructing immediate rectification of pricing and the Point of Sale (POS) configurations, and non-compliance will attract escalated enforcement measures, including financial penalties and potential prosecution. IRC Commissioner General Mr. Sam Koim said these beaches are unacceptable as these retail shops are continuing to charge high prices to customers on those basic household items that their government has exempted tax from already. “We will not tolerate deliberate profiteering at the expense of households. Businesses who fail to comply will face the full force of the law, including financial penalties and prosecution,” Mr. Koim strongly stated. As per the campaign, inspection teams conducted rigorous checks on: - Retail pricing structures, to verify that GST was not erroneously applied - POS systems, to ensure correct tax coding and transaction accuracy Meanwhile, this inspection campaign will extend to other Highlands provinces in the coming weeks. The IRC and its partner agencies remain resolute that retailers who persist in undermining the zero-rating policy will face decisive action. The zero-rating of essential goods is a deliberate government intervention to ease cost-of-living pressures. Its integrity must be upheld. The IRC calls on all retailers to comply fully and ensure their systems reflect the correct GST status of affected goods.

Tomorrow, Tuesday 26th August, is National Repentance Day and the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (PNG) is urging everyone to use the day to reflect and reset as the country marks its 50th Independence Anniversary. Prime Minister James Marape said National Repentance Day is a time of reflection, forgiveness, renewal, and a reset of true Christian character before God and each other. He reminded citizens that since 1975, Papua New Guinea has always declared its identity as a Christian nation, recognizing the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Almighty Creator. “Our forefathers placed this nation under the guidance of God when they raised the flag on Independence Hill in 1975,” he said. “As a Christian people, we are accountable to God in the way we live, in the way we govern, and in the way, we treat each other. Repentance Day is therefore not just a public holiday, but a sacred day for us to humble ourselves, to say sorry for our wrongs, and to commit ourselves to a new way of living.” Repentance Day was first declared in 2008 by the Founding Father, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare. Prime Minister Marape, then a minister, was present to witness its inauguration. Meanwhile, with the nation’s golden jubilee only three weeks away, Prime Minister Marape said this year’s Repentance Day carries even greater significance. “In just three weeks, Papua New Guinea will turn 50. We must ask ourselves: What have we done with the gift of independence entrusted to us by our forefathers? Have we honoured God? Have we honoured one another?” “As we prepare to celebrate 50 years of independence on 16 September 2025, let us use this Repentance Day to say sorry for the wrongs of the last 49 years, to forgive each other, and to make a firm resolution to enter the next 50 years with clean hearts and renewed minds.” He further reflected: “The Scripture in Leviticus 25:8–10 speaks of a national reset after 49 years, a time of restoration and renewal. As we now step into our 50th year, let us follow this divine instruction — to reflect deeply, renew our characters, and commit ourselves to a fresh beginning for Papua New Guinea.” The Prime Minister concluded with a strong call for unity, forgiveness, and the renewal of national character: “If every citizen of this nation honours God and respects their neighbour, there will be no corruption, no gender-based violence, no tribal fighting, no abuse of law, and no destruction of property. Instead, there will be peace, unity, prosperity, and the blessing of God over our country." “I urge all Papua New Guineans — leaders and citizens alike — to take this Repentance Day seriously. Let us reflect, forgive, and recommit ourselves to God, to each other, and to our nation.”