Lowy Institute welcomes Australian Government announcement of the Australia-Papua New Guinea Network

The Executive Director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy, Dr Michael Fullilove, welcomed today’s announcement by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, of the Australian Government’s support for the Australia-Papua New Guinea Network.

A key element of the Network will be an online hub for interaction between Australian and Papua New Guinean businesses and NGOs. The Network’s focus will be on engaging young people. It will include dedicated social media channels to reinvigorate a new generation to build lasting ties. The Lowy Institute’s Melanesia Program will work closely with PNG research institutions to build and manage the Network.

‘Although there are already strong links in government and business between Australia and its nearest neighbour, people-to-people links are largely underdeveloped. It is imperative that these links are strengthened’, said Dr Fullilove.

The Network will build on the Institute’s earlier efforts, led by our Melanesia Program, to promote dialogue between Australia and Papua New Guinea, including the 2012 New Voices conference held in Papua New Guinea and the 2013 Australia-Papua New Guinea Emerging Leaders Dialogue.