Prime Minister Hon. James Marape departed Papua New Guinea today for a 10-day official visit to the United States and United Kingdom, where he will engage in strategic meetings with major global oil, gas, and mining leaders, and participate in a high-level climate and biodiversity dialogue hosted by His Majesty King Charles III.
Speaking to media this morning at the APEC VIP Terminal before boarding his flight, Prime Minister Marape said the visit is aimed at advancing key national interests in the extractive sector, while reinforcing Papua New Guinea’s global leadership on climate and forest conservation.
Key Highlights of the Official Trip:
• A meeting with ExxonMobil executives in Houston to progress the Papua LNG project and discuss the sequencing of P’nyang and the Wildebeest (Western Province) gas prospects;
• A formal engagement with Newmont Corporation to address the Mine Development Contract (MDC) for the Wafi-Golpu project;
• Participation in a small boutique session on biodiversity and climate change in the United Kingdom, hosted by His Majesty King Charles III.
“This trip has dual significance — to secure progress on major investment projects and to strengthen our global partnerships on climate action,” said Prime Minister Marape. “The energy transition is accelerating, and we must make the most of the next 20 years to responsibly harvest our oil and gas while positioning PNG as a global leader in conservation.”
Deputy PM Rosso Appointed Acting Prime Minister
Prime Minister Marape confirmed that Deputy Prime Minister Hon. John Rosso will assume the responsibilities of Acting Prime Minister during his absence.
“I want to assure the people of Papua New Guinea that the business of Government will continue while I am away,” he said. “Deputy Prime Minister Rosso has served in this capacity before and, along with relevant ministers, will ensure that national duties are carried out seamlessly.”
Prime Minister Marape emphasised that all ministers continue their work regardless of the Prime Minister’s physical presence. “The country’s business does not stop because I am overseas. I am stepping out to represent PNG’s interests globally, and back home, my ministers and Acting Prime Minister Rosso will keep driving our priorities forward.”
Balancing Resource Development with Climate Responsibility
The Prime Minister underlined that this trip is part of PNG’s broader strategy to maximise benefits from its natural resources before the global shift away from fossil fuels makes them redundant.
“I am not a prophet, but in 20 years the global demand for oil and gas will drastically decline,” Prime Minister Marape said. “The world is now in a determined transition towards clean energy, and fossil fuels like oil and gas will soon be viewed with the same disdain as coal, due to their higher carbon footprint.”
He said that PNG must move quickly to develop its petroleum reserves before market demand disappears. “It is important that whatever resource we have in our land, we get into development now,” he said. “We are fortunate to have ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies— the world’s leading oil and gas companies — already operating in Papua New Guinea. We are working closely with them to secure better benefits for our country and our people.”
Prime Minister Marape said the government aims to sequence major LNG construction and production projects — including Papua LNG, P’nyang, Wildebeest LNG and other stranded resources — over the next 10 to 15 years.
“At the same time, we continue to champion international support for forest conservation and carbon market initiatives. If the world wants our forests protected, it must come with proper financial support. Our forests clean the air for the world — that deserves recognition and reward.”