Papua New Guinea is fundamentally changing how it engages on the world stage, moving away from simple participation in international forums to actively extracting economic value for its citizens.
Concluding an intensive APEC capacity-building workshop, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) revealed a multi-year strategy to build a “battalion of policy strike teams” ahead of PNG’s turn to host APEC in 2033.
The core message of the training: APEC engagement must deliver tangible returns, not just dialogue.
DICT Deputy Secretary for Policy & Emerging Technology, Flierl Shongol in his closing remarks said PNG holds standard baseline knowledge about APEC, but this training allows us to bring real benefits home.
“It is about learning how we can actively contribute and extract tangible value, writing practical policy concept notes that secure funding and advance our national digital agenda.”
Lead Facilitator and seasoned diplomat Lahui Ako emphasized that the continuous training program which incorporates staff across policy, corporate services, and technical delivery will train over 300 young officers by 2032.
The goal is to equip public servants with the skills to negotiate bilateral agreements, pass competitive concept notes through DFAT, and leverage APEC resources.
This will directly support PNG’s digital transformation strategy, aiming to empower the 70% rural population with digital tools to track trade and access global markets.
“The onus is on us; no one else is going to build our country,” Ako urged.
“By 2033, we want the world to see that PNG’s international relations are steered by a vibrant, forward-looking public workforce.”