Papua New Guinea – Meeting between Franck Riester and Sam Basil, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry (3 May 2021)

Franck Riester, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, met with Sam Basil, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry of Papua New Guinea, on May 3, during his visit to Paris.

Franck Riester and Sam Basil reaffirmed their shared determination to strengthen bilateral economic ties between France and Papua New Guinea and their desire to increase their cooperation in new areas such as renewable energy, notably in the context of the broadening of the mandate of the French Development Agency (AFD) in the Pacific. They therefore welcomed the signing of the agreement between the government of Papua New Guinea and Total, allowing the resumption of the Papua LNG project after two years of negotiations.

The minister delegate assured Mr. Basil of France’s support for Papua New Guinea in its fight against the Covid-19 epidemic. France has therefore delivered humanitarian cargo consisting of tents, Covid kits, antigen tests and portable ventilators to help the government of Papua New Guinea and its population, which is facing a deteriorating health situation. This aid falls within the framework of the FRANZ agreement between France, Australia and New Zealand on the coordination of aid for populations affected by natural disasters in the Pacific region and is a concrete example of our efforts to support the Indo-Pacific region.