Papua New Guinea and its people sincerely and humbly thank Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for its continued technical and financial support to Papua New Guinea in the last 49 years.
Prime Minister highlighted this when he met President of JICA, Dr. Tanaka Akihiko on the margins of the 10th Japan-Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) today.
Dr Tanaka Akihiko and Prime Minister Marape had a fruitful and cordial discussion on the support JICA is continuing to offer to PNG during which PM Marape also took the time to acknowledge and thank Japan for the successful hosting of PALM10 which he said reflected the warmth and hospitality of the Japanese people and Japan’s relations with PNG.
“We highly value your financial contributions in the form of soft concessional loans worth of K6 billion that helped us build roads, bridges, airports, wharves, and water and sanitation programs that are now benefiting our citizens.
“Japan has a system of trustworthiness in the way of doing things. For your own organization JICA, thank you very much for your help to our country which is not a small Island state and is bigger than Japan in size.
“I would like to say a big thank you to you as President of JICA for the support in terms of financial and technical assistance that is huge which is over 2 billion worth of Japanese yen which is 6 billion PNG Kina. This is a lot of money.
“We are forever thankful as it was through JICA’s funding that we now have the Port Moresby General hospital built and upgraded, Lae Nazab Tomodachi Airport, our Port Moresby sewerage project, the rural power electrification programs and fisheries programs,” said PM Marape.
PM Marape also informed the head of the aid agency that he was seeking JICA and Japanese Government’s assistance to get into his vision of down-stream processing of tuna and marine resources for PNG and other Pacific Island countries, adding that PNG welcomed the opportunity for concessional loans made available by JICA as it continues to invest in infrastructure development.
I want to bring the focus on improving infrastructure in some notable areas like East Sepik, Morobe and in Oro provinces where the Japanese were heavily involved during the Second World War and where your young men remain buried there,” he said.
Prime Minister Marape said the government plans to improve and extend Boram airport in Wewak and that is a project in which technical support would be needed from JICA.
President Tanaka Akihiko said JICA is keen and would be happy to send a technical team to do feasibility study on the cost and what needs to be done on the Tokua airport for its upgrade. He said the two governments and JICA could progress this further.
He also offered JICA’s assistance in agriculture and environment, specifically in growing rice and conserving forests.
Prime Minister Marape in conclusion said as JICA celebrates its 50th years of existence and operations in Papua New Guinea since its operations opened in 1974 in PNG, the country awaits to also celebrate its 50 years of nationhood next year 2025.
The Japanese International Cooperation Agency is the technical aid agency for the Government of Japan and has been in PNG since 1974, offering technical assistance, funding support, and development aid through projects and programs that aim to elevate the standard of living in PNG and other developing countries that Japan supports.