PNG cabinet appoints top diplomats for APEC 2018
22 December 2017
MEDIA RELEASE | PNG Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat
PORT MORESBY – Earlier this month, Papua New Guinea hosted its first ever APEC event since joining in 1993: an informal senior officials meeting.
APEC is the regional economic forum established in 1989 to leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific and PNG becomes the chair next year.
As part of consolidating its APEC team for 2018, PNG’s national executive council recently appointed two of its top diplomats for important roles.
Ivan Pomaleu from Manus has been appointed chair of the senior officials meeting for 2018 and Lahui Ako, currently director-general of the PNG APEC Secretariat, will be PNG APEC senior official replacing Pomaleu in 2018.
The appointments have been welcomed by the other APEC economies because both officials are experienced, knowledgeable and have been in the APEC arena for some time, having led PNG’s participation in the region since 2013.
I was at APEC 2014 in Beijing with both gentleman and found the whole PNG business presentation and organisation wanting.
In Beijing there was only one structured business meeting and cocktail function organised for the PM. And no formal joint announcement by the PM and the Chinese Premier on investment was announced.
I hope both gentlemen learn from this experience and work quietly with business leaders to announce major business deals through the political leaders when PNG hosts APEC 2018.
Posted by: Gabriel Ramoi | 22 December 2017 at 10:14 PM
Great news indeed! Congratulations to both gentleman.
I know Ivan Pomaleu, as one of the true Ambassadors of this great country.
Posted by: John K Kamasua | 22 December 2017 at 04:52 PM