Luxon welcomed to Papua New Guinea for celebration of diplomatic ties
Photo:
RNZ / Russell Palmer
Papua New Guinea's prime minister James Marape has warmly
welcomed his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon
, on a visit to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties.
It comes more than a month ahead of Papua New Guinea marking 50 years of independence on 16 September.
Luxon was greeted at the airport on Monday evening with a 19-gun salute, before being treated to a lavish state banquet.
Marape thanked New Zealand for its support, as one of the eight countries to diplomatically support Papua New Guinea - a former Australian territory - before it declared independence.
Luxon in turn talked of Papua New Guinea's great potential for growth, saying while Australia and New Zealand would both continue to support that growth it would be driven by businesses and community leveraging "great cultural and resource wealth".
Papua New Guinea's economy is forecast to grow 4.7 percent in 2025, and trade with New Zealand has grown to more than $70 million by value in the March quarter, with aluminium the top export to the country.
The prime minister has a busy schedule planned for his trip, meeting with the Governor-General before addressing Papua New Guinea's Parliament, then a gift exchange with Prime Minister James Marape before viewing a joint defence force training exercise.
Christopher Luxon is visiting Papua New Guinea to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties.
Photo:
RNZ / Russell Palmer
In the afternoon, he will tour the Fred Hollows eye health centre - which New Zealand provided $18.9 million for - before meeting with Marape behind closed doors.
After a group photo on Wednesday, he will return to New Zealand.
Luxon's visit to Port Moresby this week coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Cook Islands' constitution.
Rarotonga has been flooded with high-profile visitors for the occasion, including the Pacific Islands Forum secretary-general Baron Waqa and leaders from French Polynesia, Niue, Tonga, and Tuvalu.
But not Luxon, nor Foreign Minister Winston Peters. The Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro is representing New Zealand there instead.
Peters
marked the occasion from Auckland
on Monday with a speech that emphasised the Cooks' "right to choose".
He specifically noted that "nothing in the 'Free Association' model would prevent the Cook Islands from unilaterally seeking full independence should they wish to".
The speech was delivered while the prime minister was flying to Port Moresby.
Relations with the Cook Islands have been strained since its Prime Minister Mark Brown signed several deals with China without consulting New Zealand.
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