PNG FOREIGN MINISTER PAID COURTESY VISIT TO PM LILO
PM with PNG foreign affairs minister. Photo credit: OPMC.
Papua New Guinea Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato has paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo.
During the visit, the Prime Minister welcomed Mr Pato and his delegation to the country.
Mr Lilo thanked the PNG Government for sending a team from the political parties’ office in Port Moresby to help set up and guide them through the political party bill.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the need for both countries to start working on strengthening border security between Solomon Islands and PNG.
“Security in relation to our boarder and also our fisheries surveillance. There is now a discussion with the European Union to look at a system, choice of technology on how we can have a system to carry out an effective surveillance of our boarder and our fisheries as well as our Exclusive Economic Zone.”
Meanwhile, Mr Pato conveyed to the Prime Minister deepest condolences from the PNG Prime Minister Peter O’Neil, his government and the people of PNG to victims of the recent flash flooding.
The PNG Minister also announced PNG’s commitment in the education sector which saw the signing of the agreement for the 800 scholarships that would pave the way for Solomon Islanders to study in PNG institutions.
“May the time like this when we really need to show tre support and solidarity, our Prime Minister has also agreed for me to deliver the support, a development assistance program from PNG to the Solomon Islands a cheque of 20 million Kina which is 48 million Solomon Island dollars.”