PNG SEZ Summit

21/05/2023

23/04/2023

REGISTER NOW!
2023 International SEZ Summit Papua New Guinea (PNG) is set to host its very first International Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Summit in May 2023. The program will be officially opened by Prime Minister, Hon. James Marape and will be held from May 7-9 at the Stanley Hotel in Port Moresby.

Closing date for registration is Friday, 28th April 2023

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Government departments, private sector, provincial administrators, and provincial planners. There are 400 spaces available on a first come first serve basis, especially those who meet the registration fee of K1,500. Corporate sponsorship packages will be announced shortly and these will include speaking opportunities and display booths. Secure your spot now by clicking on this link to register: https://forms.gle/jtKhgcaQvDiKT5TM9

23/04/2023

April 13, 2023..
KPHL is a Very Important Partner in the SEZ Journey: Minister Maru

Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru whilst thanking Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited (KPHL) for its sponsorship of K100, 000 towards the very first Papua New Guinea (PNG) International Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Summit said KPHL will go beyond being a sponsor to becoming a very important partner in the SEZ journey.

“One of the biggest problems faced by most companies in Papua New Guinea is unreliable power and very expensive rates of power in this country. We can no longer accept continuous power blackouts; Papua New Guinea must say no to this,” said Minister Maru.

“As the Minister for International Trade and Investment I want to see the private sector grow and we will only do that on the back of cheap and reliable power. We can have all the plans about having SEZs in the country but without cheap and reliable energy, we are not going to do it,” added Minister Maru.

The Ministry of International Trade and Investment recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with KPHL for them to be the energy solutions provider in all the SEZs in the country, starting with the PMIZ in Madang.

“We will not have an SEZ (PMIZ) in Madang if we do not sort out the power problem in the province,” said Minister Maru.

Minister Maru encouraged KPHL and NFA to get the work at PMIZ started by sending a team there to undertake a feasibility study.

“Start talking and working together and let us start on the design of a new power station so we can show that we are not just talking but we are starting now,” said Minister Maru.

“Apart from supplying the PMIZ, all the excess energy will be sold into Madang because the province has continuous power blackouts, so we have to start the work in Madang to not just support the PMIZ but also to support the province,” added Minister Maru.

Meanwhile, KPHL will be given a slot to speak at the PNG International Summit which will be hosted in Port Moresby from May 8-9, 2023.

“KPHL will talk about their vision to connect cheap and reliable energy to all the SEZs in the country,” said Minister Maru.

Ends…//

Approved for Release

23/04/2023

12/04/2023

April 11, 2023

NFA Partners Ministry to Implement PMIZ..
The Managing Director of National Fisheries Authority (NFA), Mr. Justin Ilakini said the fisheries industry is looking forward to partnering the Ministry of International Trade and Investment to work towards finally delivering the PMIZ project in Madang. Mr. Ilakini said this while presenting K100, 000 cheque to the Ministry as NFA’s contribution to sponsor the first Papua New Guinea (PNG) International Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Summit which will be hosted in Port Moresby from May 8-9, 2023.

“We have decided to be an important partner to this Summit because we feel that it is well overdue. For fisheries, we have been waiting for this day, we have been waiting for a policy that can clearly guide us in terms of implementing the important commercial scale projects in the fisheries sector,” said Mr. Ilakini.

“People have been talking about PMIZ for 15 years now, and there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel but when the new Ministry came on board, it put a very clear direction on how we are going to implement important projects like PMIZ. The new Ministry gave us hope that PMIZ can be implemented finally. We look forward to working with the Ministry, the Minister responsible and everyone to see that we can finally deliver this project for the people of Madang, for the people of PNG and the region because this is a project that extends not only within the boundaries of PNG but throughout the region,” said Mr. Ilakini.

“We will be a keen participant of this Summit as we want PMIZ be one of those first SEZs to be implemented in the country,” added Mr. Ilakini.

Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru thanked NFA for its contribution towards the Summit and he called on the entity to come up with a domestication policy.

“We have a situation right now in the country where all the fish that are caught in our waters are not processed onshore. Only up to about 10 to 15 per cent of the catch is brought back to the canneries and the fish processing plants in Papua New Guinea while over 80% leave our shores and are processed in other countries and this is totally unacceptable. While I am the Minister for this Ministry, I want to see 100 per cent of the catch from our waters processed here in PNG. I want to see a day when the only way one can fish in PNG is if 100 per cent of the catch is processed onshore. I want to see NFA come up with a domestication policy to be brought to the Cabinet which I will really support because we cannot have an SEZ without security of the catch. I am ready to back up NFA and give them a license provided they change the policy immediately, even if it means to change the law. I will give a 100 per cent support to NFA because we need jobs and I know that PMIZ can create over 50, 000 new jobs and that is an exciting opportunity,” said Minister Maru.

“The Ministry of International Trade and Investment is going to partner NFA, and we are going to go all the way to legislation and policy and whatever that needs to be done to ensure that we unleash the fisheries industry and maximize the benefit,” added Minister Maru.

Ends…//

Approved for Release

02/04/2023

March 29, 2023

We Have Exciting Investment Opportunities in PNG: Minister Maru..
Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru invited the CEOs of provident fund, superannuation fund, sovereign wealth funds, trust funds, and social security administrations from across the Pacific who had gathered in Port Moresby for the 2023 Pacific Islands Investment CEO’s Forum to invest in Papua New Guinea (PNG), especially in the non- resource sector.

“We have exciting investment opportunities in Papua New Guinea. We are looking for investors in rice, chicken, dairy (we need two more dairies), feed, and beef industry, and also in the space of downstream processing of our coffee, cocoa, coconut, and fish (we want to process 100 percent of our catch in country). We are the market, so the investor does not have to look for the market. And once we are able to feed ourselves, then we can start exporting to other countries in the region as we already have the MSG Trade Agreement. There are also huge opportunities for investments in energy, solar farms, and hydros,” said Minister Maru in his address at the forum yesterday during the opening ceremony.

Minister Maru also extended an invitation to the CEOs to look at investing in PNG’s proposed Special Economic Zones (SEZs).

“Our Government has made a very important policy decision for PNG to go down the path of SEZs to be the primary drive of our economic growth. SEZs will drive the economic growth of our country, especially in the non-resource sector, into the future, this is going to be a major shift in policy. We are going to give incentives to attract investors to come in and be located in the SEZs because all the SEZs will require investors to make them work. Our challenge as the Government is to provide infrastructure and improve national security and climate to encourage the investors to come in and invest. We are going to drive this very aggressively,” said Minister Maru.

Minister Maru added that Marape-Rosso Government was very keen for PNG to transit as an economy anchored by resource sector to the non-resource sector.

“At where we are today, we have realized that we cannot over rely on the resource sector as we have in the last 47 years. We have to learn from countries like New Zealand. It has an internal revenue of K190 billion while ours sits at K19 billion this year when we have more land and more resources than New Zealand. Their economy is so strong, and it is now a first world country because they have been really focused on agriculture sector. This is the path that Papua New Guinea will follow and will start following this year. We are looking for investors in our non-resource sector,” said Minister Maru.

“I have seen the transition of Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. They were just like us, but they transformed by going into downstream processing and manufacturing, and now they have become industrialized countries. This is the path that we want to follow,” added Minister Maru.

Ends…//

Approved for Release

24/03/2023

IFC offers to support PNG with SEZ Development
March 22, 2023
/////
The Head of International Finance Corporation (IFC) of East Asia and Pacific, Ms. Paramita Dasgupta met with the Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru, and the Acting Secretary for the Department of International Trade and Investment, Mrs. Jacinta Warakai Manua today and offered their interest to support Papua New Guinea (PNG) to develop Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Their offer to help included sending in a global expert from IFC to speak and share their global experience in SEZ development at PNG’s first International SEZ Summit which will be held in Port Moresby on May 8-9, 2023.

Minister Maru thanked them for the offer and acknowledged their expertise in the area of SEZ development and many investments in the sectors of the private sector.
“I would also like to welcome IFC to consider taking up investments in Special Economic Zones in Papua New Guinea,” said Minister Maru.

Minister Maru also noted IFC’s interest to invest in PNG’s green energy development and to invest in that sector.
Ms. Dasgupta also advised Minister Maru that European Union (EU) is changing its trading rules especially in relation to the decarbonization agenda and PNG products must meet their new requirements before they can be accepted into the EU market.

To attend the upcoming PNG SEZ Summit, register by clicking this link https://forms.gle/sw9KFSEAor1om4NN9

Ministry of International Trade and Investment

21/03/2023

SEZ SUMMIT COMMITTEE
By Hon. Richard Maru, Minister for International Trade and Investment. 20 March 2023
//////////////
I also announce the committee for the International SEZ Summit today. The members of this committee which I will Chair includes Mr. Kikila Yavase- CEO of PNG SEZ Authority, Mr. Philemon Tamari- representative from Japan Development Institute, Mr. Peter Kengemar- Managing Director of proposed Ihu SEZ, Mrs. Carmella Gabina- Executive Director of the Business Council of Papua New Guinea, Mrs. Jacinta Warakai Manua- Acting Secretary of the Department of International Trade and Investment, and three staff from the Ministry of International Trade and Investment- Mr. Allen Hula, Mr. Billy Berro and Ms. Michelle Auamoromoro.

CONTACT
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +675-82460973

To register: https://forms.gle/jtKhgcaQvDiKT5TM9

21/03/2023

REGISTER NOW!
2023 International SEZ Summit Papua New Guinea (PNG) is set to host its very first International Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Summit in May 2023. The program will be officially opened by Prime Minister, Hon. James Marape and will be held from May 8-9 at the Stanley Hotel in Port Moresby.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Government departments, private sector, provincial administrators, and provincial planners. There are 370 spaces available on a first come first serve basis, especially those who meet the registration fee of K1,500. Corporate sponsorship packages will be announced shortly and these will include speaking opportunities and display booths. Secure your spot now by clicking on this link to register: https://forms.gle/jtKhgcaQvDiKT5TM9

The SEZ Summit that will be held in Port Moresby from on the 8th and 9th of May 2023 will bring together global and local experts, business leaders, investors, government officials, and other stakeholders to discuss the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The even...

21/03/2023

October 9, 2022

PNG Keen to Learn from PEZA’s Experience

Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru met with the Philippines Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) in Manila on September 30, 2022, to express Marape-Rosso Government’s keen interest to learn from them.

“Our Government has just recently passed the Special Economic Zone Authority Act and we are in the process of creating between 10 to 15 new Special Economic Zones (SEZs). This is an area that we have no experience in so one of the reasons why I decided to meet with the PEZA was to see how our new authority could become a sister organization to them and learn from them so we can help each other,” said Minister Maru.

“There are zones that we want to create which will specifically target investors from the Philippines so it would be mutually beneficial if we can work together,” he said.

PEZA is an investment promotion and incentive granting agency attached to the Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines. PEZA is mandated to attract investments, generate exports, and create employment through the efficient management and administration of incentives and services in SEZs across the Philippines.

In 2021, PEZA contributed to 16% of the Philippines’ GDP, 59% of the Philippines Exports of Commodities and Goods, and 56% of service exports. Since its creation in 1995, PEZA has 420 economic zones with over 4, 000 locator companies nationwide. It has recorded an investment of P4 Trillion (about K60 billion), over USD 900 billion (about K3 trillion) exports, and created direct employment for 1.7 million people.

It was agreed during the meeting that Papua New Guinea’s new SEZ Authority would send a team for a study tour to the Philippines for a few days to meet with the team from PEZA and to visit some of their most outstanding SEZs so they could see and understand how PEZA operated and learn from their experience.

“We really want to learn from the experience of PEZA; what lessons they have leant over the years, about their SEZs that had failed and why they had failed, the SEZs that they have done very well and why they did that well, how many jobs they were able to create in the SEZs, and if SEZ is a vehicle for economic growth that PEZA would encourage us to also pursue because we are only just trying to start,” said Minister Maru.

Minister Maru also invited PEZA to come and share their story during Papua New Guinea’s first International Summit on Special Economic Zones which will be hosted next year.

“No one in Papua New Guinea really knows about Special Economic Zones so during this summit next year we would explain to the whole nation what it is. We are looking at having the global experts in this area from each country to come and tell their story,” he said.

Ends…//

Approved for Release

Hon. Richard Maru; BTech, MBA, OBE, MP
Minister for International Trade & Investment
_________________________________________________

Picture Caption:
Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru with the Supervising Investments Specialist for PEZA, Mr. Philip Teomar.

21/03/2023

February 23, 2023

JDI Experts Wraps up Visits to Identified Potential SEZ Locations..
The world experts on Special Economic Zones (SEZs) from Japan Development Institute (JDI) together with the local experts and the Ministry and Department of International Trade and Investment are now wrapping up their initial fieldwork of visiting the identified potential SEZ locations in the country to collect information to formulate the Masterplan for Papua New Guinea (PNG). Their last two visits will be to the Port Moresby Industrial Zone and the Western Province next week.

Minister for International Trade and Investment, Hon. Richard Maru said that after all fieldwork are completed, the JDI team together with the local experts will work together to provide three key deliverables.

“The SEZ Act of 2019 was done without the policy and a strategy so they will complete a new policy framework, new strategy to develop SEZs, and propose a completely revised legislation that will regulate the setting up and operating of SEZs in Papua New Guinea. They will also do a report on how to build the capacity of the SEZ Authority and help us with the selection of the best candidate for the position of the CEO of SEZ Authority who must be a world class expert on the management of SEZ Authority,” said Minister Maru.

Minister Maru said he was impressed with the work to date.

“I am looking forward to the presentation of the new policy framework, the SEZ development strategy and the revised SEZ legislation which will be delivered during the SEZ Summit that will be hosted in Port Moresby on April 24-25 this year. Following feedback from the global experts and stakeholders from throughout the country who will attend the Summit, these three documents will be finalized and submitted to the Government in May for consideration and approval,” said Minister Maru.

“This work is the start of the transformation of our economy. There are already a number of investors from countries as far as Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Australia who are expressing interest to invest in our SEZs. We need to ensure that we have the institutional capacity and the mechanisms in place to attract the investors to come and invest in PNG. We want to get the first investors in this year so we are working tirelessly to ensure that we can deliver on this target,” said Minister Maru.

Minister Maru added that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was signed today between the Ministry and Department of International Trade and Investment and the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited (KPHL) for KPHL to supply cheap, reliable and clean energy solutions to the SEZs was timely.

“I want to commend the KPHL Board and Management for partnering us on this journey,” said Minister Maru.

“We will also be working with the Ministry and the Department of Works and Highways in the Connect PNG Program to involve them very closely in the development of the SEZ Masterplan because we need high economic potential areas that need to be connected by road and also other enabling infrastructure for these SEZs to be realized,” added Minister Maru.

Ends…//