Prime Minister Hon. James Marape recently delivered a stirring call to action, urging all Papua New Guineans to work relentlessly over the next 20 years, starting in 2025, to transform the nation into a high-income economy and shift from being an exporter of raw resources to a manufacturer.
Speaking upon his return from the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City, where he addressed world leaders, Prime Minister Marape emphasised the ambitious vision he presented at the global stage: Papua New Guinea will rise as a higher- income nation by 2045, driven by a robust manufacturing economy.
“To make this leap from exporting raw resources to building a manufacturing-based economy, we must secure critical enablers like affordable and reliable electricity, accessible internet, and vital infrastructure such as ports and jetties. We need to reorganise our towns and cities, revamp our education system to prepare our people for industry-specific roles, and ensure our health facilities are prepared for this transformation,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“This will not happen overnight, but the foundation must be laid now. In the next 20 years, divided into four critical phases of five years each, we must chart a course towards achieving this vision. By the time PNG turns 70 in 2045, we must break free from the constraints of being a low-income nation and fully embrace our future as a high-income, thriving economy. I made this commitment to the world at the UNGA, and it is a commitment we must all work towards.”
Prime Minister Marape called upon all citizens—public servants, ministers, community leaders, and the people—to join hands in realising this national vision.
“As Prime Minister, my role is to set the vision, but it is the collective efforts of our people that will make it a reality. We must work together, harder than ever before, to build a better, more prosperous Papua New Guinea,” he said.
Prime Minister Marape paid tribute to the legacy of late Sir Michael Somare, whose Vision 2050 laid the groundwork for PNG’s path toward joining the ranks of the world’s top 50 nations.
“If we work diligently over the next 20 years, we will inch closer to this dream that Sir Michael had when he first articulated the Eight-Point Plan in 1975 and later Vision 2025 in 2010, which I have upheld since assuming office in 2019,” Prime Minister Marape said.
Looking ahead, the Prime Minister highlighted the nation’s potential to manufacture its own wealth from resources such as timber, fish, agriculture, minerals, oil, gas, and energy. He expressed confidence that the next generation of Papua New Guineans will not only be consumers of global goods but creators of industries that propel the nation forward.
“Together, we will redefine Papua New Guinea’s future, from the mountains to the seas. Our journey into this path must begin now,” he said.
