By GINNAH MINI
THE governments of Papua New Guinea and Australia yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in digital critical technologies and telecommunications.
The signing took place at APEC House in Port Moresby during the 32nd PNG-Australia Ministerial Forum.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Deputy Prime Minister of PNG Hon John Rosso and ministers from both countries and official delegates.
Speaking at the signing, Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Robert Naguri said that the MoU signing marked a special occasion between the two government on developing ICT for the next 50 years for PNG.
He added that the MoU paves a way for both governments to work in partnership in the ICT space.
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, Hon. Penny Wong in her speech emphasized the need for connectivity, noting that it is essential for the development of a country.
“Connectivity creates opportunities-it supports and fuels economic growth, strengthens essential services, and is essential to the development of a country,” she said.
Minister Wong notes that the MoU is one of the many things that the countries are signing as allies.
She stressed that the MoU marks an important partnership between the two countries as allies.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Justin Tkatchenko acknowledged the importance of the MoU, stating that it’s an important partnership between PNG and Australia in sharing knowledge.
“It’s about for our people to have better IT services, cheaper IT services that can bring our country to another level in many different areas, from business to your own personal use and so on,” Minister Tkatchenko said.
He said that the partnership is about making telecommunications affordable for every citizen, and utilize it to increase PNG’s technology, business and economic prosperity going forward.
The two countries acknowledged that the MoU signing is the start of an even deeper relationship on ICT.