Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Hon James Marape will visit New Zealand from 21-25 February, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced today.

“New Zealand and Papua New Guinea have a warm and friendly relationship. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Marape here and strengthening the relationship between our two countries,” Jacinda Ardern said.

“Our close relationship is important during a time of global change and turbulence. Most recently, we have worked together on aspects of our response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including the safe return of a number of Papua New Guinean students from Wuhan,” Jacinda Ardern said.

The visit will be an opportunity to increase engagement with Papua New Guinea as part of New Zealand’s Pacific Reset policy as well as discuss shared regional interests and New Zealand’s support to the Papua New Guinea Electrification Partnership.

This will be Prime Minister Marape’s first visit to New Zealand. He will be accompanied by his wife Mrs Rachel Marape and a delegation that includes the Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Sam Basil.

The trip is rescheduled from November 2019 when Prime Minister Marape had been due to visit en route to APEC Leaders’ Week.

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