Consular Services
Bilateral Relations
PAPUA NEW GUINEA/UNITED STATES RELATIONS
Papua New Guinea and the United States of
America (USA) first made contact during
World War II. Both countries formally established
diplomatic relations in September 1975,
and have resident Missions established in
each other's capital at ambassadorial level.
Currently, Mr. Robert W. Fitts is the
US resident Ambassador in Port Moresby and
Mr. Evan Jeremy Paki is the PNG Ambassador
to the United States.
Bilateral relations between Papua New Guinea
and the United States of America have been
friendly and constructive, and has enormously
expanded in the areas of trade, investment,
development & technical assistance,
services of the US Peace Corps and defense
cooperation. There has also been an increase
in the exchange of visits by politicians
and government officials that continue to
foster inter-personal contact and dialogue.
But overall, PNG/USA relations has been
focused multilaterally via various regional
bodies of the Pacific with other Island
countries and international organizations.
Both Papua New Guinea and the United States
of America have recognized the need to focus
on expanding and consolidating relations
at the bilateral level. Papua New Guinea
for instance, feels that there is a need
for an Investment Promotion & Protection
Agreement, Double Taxation Treaty, an Air
Services Agreement, direct shipping link
and the revival of the aid assistance program.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA/CANADA RELATIONS
Papua New Guinea and Canada established
diplomatic relations in 1976 at High Commissioner
level. Canada concurrently accredits its
High Commissioner based in Canberra, Australia
to Papua New Guinea. Canada also has an
Honorary Consul in Papua New Guinea. Papua
New Guinea's Ambassador to the United States,
resident in Washington, D.C. is concurrently
accredited as Papua New Guinea's High Commissioner
to Canada.
Relations between both countries have been
cordial and mutually beneficial. The two
countries have entered into a number of
economic arrangements that has greatly improved
and expanded relations on that level. These
include an Investment Protection and Promotion
Agreement signed in 1981 and a Double Taxation
Treaty signed in 1987. Since the establishment
of these arrangements, the level of capital
investment from Canada to Papua New Guinea
has increased. Trade flows have also increased,
although significantly in favor of Canada.
Consistent with the National Government's
policy to expand and strengthen its economic
ties with other countries, Papua New Guinea
considers and recognizes the need to enter
into a Development Co-operation Agreement
with Canada. In recognizing this need, a
proposal was submitted in 1988 by the PNG
Government and is still pending. Papua New
Guinea however, has since 1978 benefited
greatly from services provided by the Canadian
University Services Organization (CUSO)
in the areas of social and cultural development.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA/MEXICO RELATIONS
Papua New Guinea and Mexico formalized
diplomatic relations on 19th May, 1976.
In a Joint Communiqué announced during
the establishment of diplomatic relations,
both countries agreed that the Ambassador
of Mexico in Jakarta, Indonesia be concurrently
accredited to Papua New Guinea, whilst Papua
New Guinea's Ambassador to the United States
be concurrently accredited to Mexico.
Subsequently, both Papua New Guinea and
Mexico exchanged their first Ambassadors
on 22nd February 1978 and August 1978 respectively.
Since then, their respective Ambassadors
have confined bilateral relations between
both countries to purely visits to each
other's country.
Papua New Guinea and Mexico do not have
a formal bilateral economic co-operation
arrangement. Both countries however, are
members of a number of multilateral economic
and commercial arrangements such as cocoa,
coffee and other International Commodity
agreements. In the absence of such an arrangement,
relations between the two countries in this
area have been conducted under international
trade practices and regulations. So far,
relations have been confined to trade alone,
on a relatively small scale.
Multilateral Relations
Since independence in 1975, Papua New Guinea has enjoyed cordial
relationships with various countries and international institutions on
a bilateral and multilateral basis.
As a member of the Commonwealth, Papua New Guinea enjoys the privileges
of being a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Its membership of the
United Nations has allowed the country to benefit from financial and
technical assistance from specialised United Nations agencies such as the
International Labour
Organisation (ILO), the Food and
Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the World
Health Organisation (WHO) and the
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
(ESCAP).
Membership to the International
Monetary Fund (IMF)
and the various World Bank organisations gives Papua New
Guinea access to development finance through the International Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (IBRD), the International Development Agency (IDA), the
International Finance Corporation
(IFC) and the Multilateral Investment
Guarantee Agency (MIGA). Papua New Guinea is also a recipient of
concessional loans from the Asian
Development Bank (ADB)
As a signatory to the International Centre
for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), Papua New Guinea is
guaranteed access to the centre to have relevant investment disputes
adjudicated. Membership of the Lome Convention provides
duty free access for Papua New Guinean originating goods
into the EC markets.
The membership that Papua New Guinea enjoys in international commodity
organisations ensures that its raw commodities such as
coffee, cocoa and sugar, are sold in preference to
non-member countries on a quota basis.
Papua New Guinea is a member of the International
Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO),
thereby acceding to the Chicago Convention. This allows
its national carrier, Air Niugini, to operate to a number
of international destinations in the Asia Pacific region,
such as Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, the
Philippines, New Zealand, and Hong Kong.
Recent Developments
The Papua New Guinea initiative on Opportunities and Participation,
applauded by other members of the United Nations, demonstrates the
country's status in the global community. The appointment
of one of its leading politicians as one of the eminent
persons to lead discussion on this issue demonstrates the
Government's recognition in addressing, at the highest
international forum, the lopsidedness of development
between developed and developing countries.
The initiative has been adopted by the United Nations General Assembly
and is now in the implementation stage.
Papua New Guinea's trade policies are being reformed to be consistent
with international requirements like those under the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Asia Region Relationships
In the Asia Pacific region, Papua New Guinea's representation at the Association of South-East Asian Nations
(ASEAN), as an observer has given the country a privileged position
from which to trade with member countries of this fast-growing
region.
Papua New Guinea is a fully fledged member of the
Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) which includes the United
States, China, Japan and South Korea, etc, participated as a full
member at the 1994 meeting. The free and open trade policy endorsed by
APEC, and consistent with WTO principles, is expected to be of benefit to
PNG in the long run.
Pacific Region Relationships
Papua New Guinea, as the largest country of the South Pacific, continues
to play a prominent role in shaping the future of the region and
does so in close consultation with other major island
countries, such as Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
It is a member of the South Pacific
Forum, giving it a voice in collective response concerning regional
issues such as trade, economic development, civil aviation and maritime,
telecommunications, energy, political and security matters. In recent
years, environmental issues have featured strongly in the annual summit of
the heads of governments of participating South Pacific countries. The
South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation (SPEC) is a secretariat
servicing the needs of the South Pacific Forum of which Papua New Guinea is
a significant contributor.
The Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), was established specifically to
service members' needs in respect to managing their vast fisheries and
marine resources. As all the South Pacific countries have
limited resources to effectively police their large
Exclusive Economic Zones, the member states, under a
collective effort, can effectively contribute to
surveillance and other policing efforts to control
illegal fishing in the region which will in turn result
in increased benefits to the region.
On intra-regional trade matters, the Melanesian Spearhead Group is an
initiative of Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, to
promote tripartite trade among themselves.
Technology and Standards Agreements
The Papua New Guinea National Institute of Standards and Industrial
Technology (NISIT) has membership of a number of international and
regional standards organisations. These include the Asia
Pacific Metrology Programme (APMP), a regional
collaboration aimed at improving measurement capabilities
of the countries in the Asia-Pacific region by sharing
facilities and experience of metrology laboratories in
the region.
Through NISIT, Papua New Guinea is also a member of Codex Alimentarius
Commission (CAC), responsible for implementing the joint FAO-WHO
food standards programme. It promotes the co-ordination
of all food standards work undertaken by international
government and non-government organisations in Papua New
Guinea.
NISIT is also a member of the General Conference of Weights and Measures
(CGPM), which aims to prepare and promote the decisions necessary
to perfect and extend the use of an international system
of units and standards of measurements; and the
International Committee of Weights and Measures (CIPM),
placed under the General Conference to direct and
supervise the work of the International Bureau of Weights
and Measures (BIPM).
The Institute also belongs to the International Laboratory Accreditation
Conference (ILAC), the Pacific Asia Standards
Congress (PASC) and the Pacific Accreditation
Corporation (PAC). Papua New Guinea joined
the International Organisation for Standardisation
in 1985. It is a member of the International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which
facilitates the co-ordination and unification
of national electrotechnical standards.
CITIZENSHIP ACT:
(HCE) Citizenship is based upon the Citizenship
Act, dated February 13, 1976 and the Constitution
dated September 16, 1975. Papua New Guinea
shares certain ties with Australia since
1948.
BY BIRTH:
Persons Born Before 9/16/75: Person born
in the country, whose maternal and paternal
grandparents were also born in the country.
At all times, children of unknown or stateless
parents are granted citizenship.
BY DESCENT:
Person Born before 9/16/75: Person born
abroad, whose maternal and paternal grandparents
were born in the country. Person must also
have been registered and, if over 19, have
renounced any other citizenship.
Person Born On or After 9/16/75: Child,
at least one of whose parents is a citizen,
regardless of the country of birth. Child
born abroad must be registered no later
than one year after birth.
BY NATURALIZATION:
Papua New Guinean citizenship may be acquired
upon fulfillment of the following conditions:
Person has resided for eight years in country,
has renounced previous citizenship, intends
to remain in the country, is of good character,
respects the local customs and culture,
can speak the local language and has a reliable
source of income or support.
DUAL CITIZENSHIP: NOT RECOGNIZED
Exception: Child born abroad, who obtains
the citizenship of the country of birth,
may retain dual citizenship until the age
of 18. Then the person has one year to renounce
the foreign citizenship or Papua New Guinean
citizenship will be revoked.
LOSS OF CITIZENSHIP:
VOLUNTARY: Voluntary renunciation
of Papua New Guinean citizenship is permitted
by law. Contact the Embassy for details
and paperwork. Person must be at least 19
years old and plans to obtain a new citizenship.
INVOLUNTARY: The following
are grounds for involuntary loss of Papua
New Guinean citizenship.
- Person voluntarily obtains foreign citizenship,
except through marriage.
- Person exercises the rights of a citizen
of a foreign country.
- Person takes an oath of allegiance to
another country.
- Person joins a foreign army without government
permission.
- Person travels under the passport of another
country.
- Naturalized citizenship was obtained through
fraud.
The rules listed above do not apply when
the action was done under the compulsion
of another country's laws.
ANY QUESTIONS concerning citizenship, or
requests for renunciation of citizenship,
should be sent to the address below:
Embassy of Papua New Guinea
1825 K Street NW, Suite 1010
Washington, D.C. 20006
Phone: 202-745-3680
Fax: 202-745-3679
OR:
The Secretary
Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade
P.O. Box 422
WAIGANI, NCD
Papua New Guinea
Phone: 011-675-301-4147
Fax: 011-675-325-4886
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