By JOEL K ANDREW
THE 14th World Indigenous Business Forum was launched in Port Moresby last night, with sponsors, government delegations and the Prime Minister James Marape in attendance.
The entrepreneurial summit is a meeting of business delegations, entrepreneurs, and foreign investors from indigenous countries around the world, who will interacting with PNG business houses and SMEs from today until Thursday (Oct 26).
Extending a Melanesian welcome to the international visitors, a reception was held at the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium with different cultural groups from around Papua New Guinea showcasing the nation’s diverse culture and tourism products.
NCD Governor Powes Parkop said the Melanesian cultural welcome signifies PNG’s indigenous appreciation of the visitors and the opportunities they present.
“Port Moresby is the gateway to PNG and my dream of making it into an amazing precinct is at work, through partnership with the Tourism Promotion Authority and Ministry of International Trade and Investment as we host the world on our shores,” he said.
Parkop wished the visitors a good stay and said PNG is a multicultural society of indigenous people united through democracy in a land of opportunities.
Prime Minister Marape acknowledged the collaborative teamwork for making the event possible.
He told the visiting delegates that this young island nation is rich in diverse cultures, a thousand tribes and different languages.
“The tourism industry of Papua New Guinea is huge, yet has remained untapped,” Marape said.
“This global occasion is a one way of showcasing PNG’s potential in tourism to the world.
“We started small and now have an economy that is over one hundred billion kinas (K100 bill).”
The Prime Minister said PNG is better connected than most indigenous communities in the world, as “we have reached more connectivity in the world markets never than before”.
“We have close ties in business and trade with giant economies in the world like China, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and our traditional connectivity with Australia, Europe and Canada remains intact,” he said.
“In the next two days of this forum, I want you all to be connected.
“Pick up a new business card and consider expanding your investments into PNG because we have more business connectivity that many countries in the world do not provide.”
Marape acknowldged the visiting delegations and commended the World Indigenous Business Forum for making it to the shores of Papua New Guinea.
