MINISTER for Foreign Affairs Justin Tkatchenko announced that Papua New Guinea will host the Pacific-led Tuna Economy Dialogue from 13-16 October 2026 in Port Moresby.
This inaugural dialogue will forge practical partnerships to structurally engineer a lucrative and sustainable Tuna Economy in the region.
While addressing the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Foreign Ministers Meeting on 7 August 2026 in Fiji, Minister Tkatchenko acknowledged regional solidarity.
“True regional resilience is achieved only when we synchronize collective security with absolute respect for national sovereignty,” Minister Tkatchenko said.
“Papua New Guinea is systematically matching its defense architecture with climate action, regional AI platform, and pioneering the maritime economic strategy to guarantee long-term prosperity for the Blue Pacific.”
While endorsing the Forum’s updated security architecture to counter current geopolitical vulnerabilities, Minister Tkatchenko stated that regional solidarity must strictly respect the sovereign boundaries of individual member states.
He underscored that PNG’s bilateral treaties-including agreements with Australia, the United States, Indonesia, France, and the United Kingdom-are intentionally designed to complement, rather than compromise, regional stability, while highlighting the critical role of the Pacific Policing initiative based in Bomana.
On climate change and disaster resilience, Minister Tkatchenko pushed for the immediate transition of the COP31 Pacific Partnership from strategic planning into active implementation.
Acknowledging Australia’s successful hosting of the 6th Climate Change Minister’s Talanoa, the Minister affirmed that the newly proposed Regional Renewable Energy Commissioner must play a pivotal role in capturing clean energy investments to safeguard Pacific marine ecosystems.
Capitalizing on PNG’s successful hosting of the recently concluded ICT Ministerial Meeting in Port Moresby, Minister Tkatchenko backed a synchronized approach to regional digital transformation.
He envisioned that the new Pacific Digital and AI Technology Principles under the Lagatoi Declaration will serve as the practical baseline to capture the economic and social benefits of digital connectivity in the region.