European Union seeks to build bilateral relations with Bougainville

by PNG Business News - March 17, 2023

Photo: On January 17th, Ambassador Jacques Fradin met with Hon. Mannaseh Makiba, Minister for Bougainville Affairs, to discuss important matters of mutual interest. Photo credit: European Union in Papua New Guinea

European Union (EU) shares the same values of nation building as Bougainville according to Ambassador Jacques Fradin, Head of Delegation to Papua New Guinea.

Ambassador Jacques Fradin, was in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville to build bilateral relations with the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and the people last month.

Ambassador Jacques Fradin started his mission to Papua New Guinea in September 2022 and visited the region for the first time with a small delegation to accompany him in a short tour around the north-east part of the North Bougainville.

The EU team were welcomed at the Buka airport and then taken to the Nazareth Centre for Rehabilitation to be guests at a panel discussion with the Member for Selau Constituency Hon. Paul Cheong and the women peace advocators in the Selau Constituency.

In the panel discussion the EU heard for themselves what the women normally do to make a difference to the lives of the mothers and youths who have been traumatized by violence-related abuse and their concerns of what was working in the communities and what was not working in terms of peace building and resilience.

He said that Bougainville and the European Union (EU) shared the same values of nation building and that his visit to the region was to maintain the bi-lateral relations with the government and the people of Bougainville.



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