Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is an island country that lies in the south-western Pacific. It includes the eastern half of New Guinea and many small offshore islands. Its neighbours include Indonesia to the west, Australia to the south and Solomon Islands to the south-east. It is mainly mountainous but has low-lying plains in southern New Guinea. The country has several active volcanoes.

Secretariat support for Papua New Guinea 

Elections support 

The Commonwealth observed elections in Papua New Guinea in June and July 2017. After the elections, it helped the country prepare strategies to make future elections more fair, trusted and inclusive. 

The Commonwealth Elections Professionals Initiative helped Papua New Guinea build skills in elections management. 

Elections work

Debt management 

Papua New Guinea has used the Secretariat's debt management system to collect better data on its public debt.

Debt management work

Natural resources 

The Secretariat worked with Papua New Guinea to manage income from its natural resources. It helped the country learn about laws, policies, contracts and taxation in this area. 

The Secretariat helped the government build skills to manage its sovereign wealth fund (a state-owned investment fund used to benefit a country’s economy and citizens).  

It also helped the government to prepare to negotiate with the International Seabed Authority (ISA). 

Natural resources work

Connectivity Agenda

Papua New Guinea is a member of the Physical, Digital, Regulatory and Supply Side Connectivity clusters of the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda. The Connectivity Agenda is a platform for countries to exchange best practices and experiences to trade and investment and undertake domestic reform.

Connectivity Agenda

Papua New Guinea in the Commonwealth 

In 2012, the Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting was hosted by Papua New Guinea. 

Find out more 

Learn more about the Secretariat's work

Total population

External links

Papua New Guinea government Papua New Guinea tourism board
Papua New Guinea medals at the Commonwealth Games United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Papua New Guinea country profile

Key Facts

Population
8.947 million (2022)
Area
463,000 square kilometres
Capital city
Port Moresby
Joined the Commonwealth
1975, following independence from Australia-administered UN trusteeship