The European Union (EU) and Papua New Guinea (PNG) held their first “Partnership Dialogue” under Article 3 of the new Partnership Agreement between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the EU (the “Samoa Agreement”) on 12 February in Brussels.
The dialogue provided an opportunity for both sides to review bilateral cooperation since the last Political Dialogue under the former Cotonou Agreement, which took place in February 2023 in Port Moresby, and to update each other on key developments.
Both parties reaffirmed their firm commitment to deepening and strengthening their partnership while upholding the rules-based international order, with the United Nations at its core. They emphasised the need for effective and inclusive multilateralism, particularly in addressing challenges related to climate change, economic uncertainties, and regional security.
The participants also highlighted the importance of responding to the consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and stressed the need to safeguard economic security while pursuing an ambitious green and resilient transition both nationally and globally.
The dialogue further reflected the shared values of the EU and PNG, including the rule of law, democracy, and human rights. PNG presented recent progress in good governance and the protection of human rights.
Key areas of partnership were reviewed at both bilateral and multilateral levels, including implementation of development programmes under the Global Europe Instrument (NDICI) and prospects under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. Discussions also focused on global issues of strategic importance, such as climate change, environmental protection, and ocean governance, including fisheries management.
On trade, the EU and PNG exchanged updates on the interim Economic Partnership Agreement (iEPA) concluded between the EU and several Pacific Island countries, noting the benefits it continues to deliver for both sides.
The Partnership Dialogue was co-chaired by Mr Erik Kurzweil, Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific, European External Action Service (EEAS), and Elias Rahuromo Wohengu, Secretary for Foreign Affairs of PNG.
