By GINNAH MINI
PRIME Minister James Marape has met the France Development Agency (AFD) and has secured over K400million through France Government funding and European Infrastructure Investment Funding for Rabaul Port modernization and redevelopment.
Speaking at a press conference at Melanesian House today, Prime Minister Marape thanked France for backing the redevelopment and said that the Rabaul Port is a strategic location not only for East New Britain (ENB) but for the New Guinea Islands Region, PNG and the Pacific.
Mr. Marape said that AFD has confirmed that they will support the development, the cabinet has cleared it and its going through the final lag of the clearance.
“I did invite France investors to take up residency in East New Britain Province: utilizing the port as a special economic zone and hub for possible import/ export as well as other businesses that we want progress, especially in the agriculture sector,” Mr. Marape said.
Mr. Marape noted that under his government they have secured six ports to be developed, and Rabaul Port was not included in the list because of the moratorium on the suitability for use and safety as far as the volcano was concerned.
“As soon as we lifted the moratorium, we had to look for facilities to assist Rabaul and the France Government came through with the European Government,” Mr. Marape said.
Prime Minister Marape said that Rabaul port is the deepest water port in the country and Pacific and the government is looking at the strategic value of Rabaul not just for today but in the future too.
“It (Rabaul Port) could be a storage port, it could complement the ENB initiative by fisheries,” Mr. Marape said.
“Our government has already designated Rabaul Port as one of the four ports to be lock pond-based port for our domestic processing focus for our forestry.”
Prime Minister Marape stated that with the moratorium being lifted, the France facility has become open and willing to support Rabaul Port to be developed.