Open for business, ready to develop markets: Marape – The...

Open for business, ready to develop markets: Marape – The National

PRIME Minister James Marape says that Papua New Guinea must share its business markets with the rest of the world through the export of its diverse resources.
He told the World Indigenous Business Forum in Port Moresby yesterday that the Government had invested K200 million to support small-medium enterprises (SMEs).
Marape acknowledged the Motu-Koitabu people of the National Capital District, who are the traditional landowners of Ela Beach where the APEC Haus is located.
He explained to the different indigenous groups from Europe, South America, Africa, North America and Australia, that PNG is one of the most linguistically, culturally and physically diverse people in the world.
“The country is rich in non-extractive and extractive resources, with indigenous landowners in these respective areas,” he said.
“PNG does not only have extractive resources like oil and gold that investors can invest in, but also has its huge rain forest reserves and fisheries markets that are valued highly globally.”
The forum aims to expose local SMEs to investment, trade, manufacturing and export opportunities to indigenous businesses from the 14 countries at the forum.
Indigenous business owners have information booths set up at the forum.
They include those from the fisheries sector and the agricultural sector with commodities such as coffee and cocoa.
Traditional craft and clothing businesses also had the opportunity to showcase their businesses, while government representatives from the mining and petroleum sectors were also present at the forum to capitalise on any opportunities during the forum.