Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has updated French President H.E Emmanual Macron on the progress of the Shiprider Agreement between the two countries.

One of the matters discussed between the two leaders in their bilateral meeting on the margins of the 3rd  UN Oceans Summit was this agreement, which Prime Minister Marape said was into its final stage of completion.

“The Papua New Guinea Foreign Affairs has finalized all documentation to be signed off and ratified. So, we need to finalize the last part of the Shiprider Agreement with the French Government,” he said.

On Climate Change and Forest Conservation, France has recommitted to its obligations with Papua New Guinea and Pacific Island Forum countries under President Macron.

Prime Minister Marape, in a post-meeting brief, said President Macron remains “steadfast in his earlier commitments to Climate Change and forest conservation in the Pacific.”

The Prime Minister also revealed the French Government’s involvement in the Rabaul Port Restoration Project and his commendation to President Macron for this investment and the work being carried out so far.

Prime Minister Marape said President Macron remains “a beacon of hope in Climate Change issues for many Small Island States in the Pacific.”

“We encouraged him to remain a global advocate on the plight of small island states, in pressing issues such as in Climate Change and economic hardship relating to distresses,” he concluded.