Prime Minister James Marape has urged the United States and its business community to deepen trade and investment ties with the Pacific, stressing that the region should be seen as a hub of opportunity rather than a recipient of aid.
Speaking at the US–Pacific Islands Business Forum on 22 September Prime Minister Marape said Pacific Island countries were redefining themselves as “big ocean nations” with resources and opportunities second to none.
“We may be called small island states, but we are in fact big ocean nations,” Prime Minister Marape said during the event, held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and hosted by the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) in partnership with Newmont, Viasat and Atlas Air.
“Our seas, our airspace, our forests and our human capital are immense. The Pacific holds more than $3 billion worth of tuna and fisheries resources every year, yet our citizens remain among the lowest per capita earners in the world. This must change," he added.
Shared values with the United States
Marape expressed gratitude for the recognition of Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary and highlighted the shared values between the Pacific and the United States.
“We are all democratic nations, we are all free-market economies, and we are largely Christian nations,” he said. “These are the same values that the United States embodies and leads with globally. We congratulate the US on its upcoming 250th anniversary of independence — a true testimony to the miracle of democracy and free-market economy.”
Moving beyond aid
The Prime Minister called on Washington to shift from aid and grants towards sustainable partnerships built on fair trade and private-sector investment.
“Aid and grant relationships are subservient; trade relationships elevate human dignity,” he emphasised. “We welcome US companies to invest in fisheries, green energy, tourism, downstream processing and infrastructure. The Pacific must become a hub of prosperity, not dependency.”
American companies already investing
Marape acknowledged major US companies already operating in Papua New Guinea, including ExxonMobil, Newmont, Hilton and Marriott, and invited more American firms to expand into the region.
He pointed to ExxonMobil’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) project — the single largest foreign direct investment in PNG since independence — as proof that the country could host and sustain long-term ventures.
A Pacific vision
Concluding his remarks, Prime Minister Marape described the Pacific as a critical partner for global prosperity and environmental stewardship.
“Our Blue Continent is more than a collection of islands — it is the world’s largest carbon sink, with oceans and forests that help sustain the planet,” he said. “Together with US companies and global partners, we can build a Pacific that is prosperous, dignified and respected.”
