Prime Minister James Marape has announced a landmark development in Papua New Guinea–United States relations, following a historic first-ever bilateral meeting at the White House between a sitting Papua New Guinean Prime Minister and a US Vice President.
This milestone meeting, held during Prime Minister Marape’s official visit to Washington D.C., took place at the White House with US Vice President J.D. Vance, signalling a significant elevation in bilateral ties between the two nations.
“This is the first time in 50 years that a Papua New Guinean Prime Minister has held a formal bilateral meeting at the White House,” Prime Minister Marape said. “The engagement was warm, respectful, and constructive, demonstrating the United States’ sincere interest in strengthening its ties with Papua New Guinea.”
During the discussions, the United States Government confirmed it will send a high-level delegation to attend Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations in September 2025. This delegation will be led by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, reflecting the importance the US places on its relationship with PNG.
Prime Minister Marape and Vice President Vance also discussed shared democratic values, mutual interests in the Indo-Pacific, and opportunities for expanded cooperation in trade, security, and economic development.
“The United States is the greatest democracy, the strongest free-market economy, and the leading Christian nation,” Prime Minister Marape said. “Papua New Guinea, too, is a robust democracy, a free-market economy, and a nation founded on strong Christian values. These shared beliefs continue to guide our alignment on many regional and global issues.”
He added that both governments had agreed to continue technical-level engagements to prepare for a potential full bilateral meeting between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Marape at a later date, when both the White House and Waigani are ready.
“Our officials will begin preparatory work on specific areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade, security, development, and investment,” he said. “We hope to formalise this growing relationship through a future meeting between the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea.”
During the meeting, Prime Minister Marape also acknowledged and thanked major US companies operating in Papua New Guinea—ExxonMobil, Barrick Gold, Newmont Corporation, Hilton, Marriott, and others—for their long-standing contributions to the country’s economy.
“I also took the opportunity to invite more US companies in manufacturing, agriculture, fisheries, and sustainable forestry to explore investment opportunities in Papua New Guinea,” he added. “Our economy is open for business, and we welcome responsible partners who share our vision for sustainable growth.”
The bilateral engagement caps off a series of high-level meetings during Prime Minister Marape’s visit to the United States, which included strategic dialogues with US defence, trade, and development agencies.
“This visit marks the beginning of a new era in PNG–US relations,” Prime Minister Marape concluded. “As we mark 50 years of Independence, we are repositioning ourselves on the global stage and fine-tuning our relationships with all partner nations — including this great United States of America.”
