Papua New Guinea

Madam President, Secretary-General, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

First, I thank our Almighty Creator God — the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — for their care over my country, Papua New Guinea.

It is with deep honour that I bring to this Assembly the warm greetings of ten million people. This year, Papua New Guinea celebrates 50 years of independence and 50 years of membership in the United Nations. Since joining in October 1975, we have stood proudly by the principles of the UN Charter.

Our Constitution, Our Unity

At independence, our Founding Fathers gave us a single Constitution that has endured for half a century. It protects human rights, affirms our Christian heritage while guaranteeing freedom of religion, preserves culture, and safeguards our environment.

Papua New Guinea is extraordinarily diverse — over 1,000 tribes, 850 languages, and 600 islands. Yet our Constitution binds us as one people, one nation, one country.

We also honour the churches who, alongside the State, deliver education, health, and community services that hold our nation together. Our Constitution protects all faiths, sending a message that religion must never divide humanity — coexistence must.

Lessons of Peace

Papua New Guinea has known conflict. For a decade, Bougainville suffered violence, but through dialogue under UN oversight we achieved the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement. Not a bullet has been fired since. We continue to resolve questions of Bougainville's future through dialogue and constitutional process.

Bougainville is a reminder that peace, when built on genuine will, can endure.

Reflections on the Secretary-General's Visit

We were honoured this year to welcome Secretary-General António Guterres on his first visit to Papua New Guinea. He praised our leadership on climate, our diversity, and Bougainville's peace model.

But he also reminded us to fight corruption, strengthen governance, and ensure services reach all citizens. At 50 years, we recommit to transformation so that no citizen is left behind. His visit was both affirmation and accountability.

Our Global Responsibility: Forests, Oceans, Climate

Papua New Guinea is a forest nation and an ocean nation.

• Our tropical forests absorb carbon and produce oxygen.
• Our vast Pacific waters are part of the world's greatest carbon sink.
• Our reefs, rivers, and ecosystems shelter unique biodiversity.

There is no other planet like Earth. Our ancestors left us a liveable planet; we must do the same for our descendants.

As we approach COP30 in Brazil, we recommit to preserving forests and oceans, investing in renewable energy, and advancing sustainable development. But we cannot do this alone.

We call especially on G20 and industrial nations to cut emissions, reform global finance to support biodiversity nations, and align responsibility with carbon footprint. Our forests and oceans are not just Papua New Guinea's — they are global goods.

Gratitude and Appeal

On this 50th Anniversary, I thank:

• The United Nations for embracing us since 1975,
• Our bilateral and multilateral partners,
• Australia for peacefully granting independence,
• Investors, NGOs, and churches for their enduring service.

Your solidarity has kept us united.

Closing

Fifty years ago, we entered this Assembly as one of its youngest members. Today, we stand as a free and democratic nation, with unity in diversity, resilience, and vast natural endowments.

On behalf of Papua New Guinea, I congratulate the United Nations for turning 80 years and remaining as humanity's common meeting ground. Just as Papua New Guinea finds unity in its diversity, so must all nations uphold the UN's sanctity.

Our message to the world is simple:

• Unity can be found in diversity.
• Peace is built and sustained through dialogue.
• This one planet must be preserved for all generations.

On behalf of Papua New Guinea, I thank you.