PNG Pavilion Roundtable on Education Science and Green Economy

AUTHORIZED FOR RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE EXPO COMMISSIONER GENERAL

The Papua New Guinea Pavilion in the World Expo2020 in Dubai, UAE, is hosting a Roundtable on Education Science and the Green Economy during the Exposition’s thematic week on Knowledge and Education from 12 to 17 December.

The Roundtable is an initiative of the PNG Expo2020 Pavilion in response to the scene set by the Minister for Forests, Hon. Walter Schnaubelt during his participation at the Thematic Week on the Environment and Biodiversity, where he informed the World about Papua New Guinea’s efforts to save the third largest rainforest in the world and to achieve its ambitious Climate Action Agenda and at the same time benefit economically through a balanced mix of economic options.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Hon. Soroi Eoe, MP, has been invited to open the Roundtable. The Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, has also been invited to present a statement at the opening session. The Minister for Environment conservation and Climate Change, Hon. Wera Mori, MP, was also invited to present opening remarks.

The purpose of the Roundtable is to exchange ideas, share experiences and map out a pathway forward in assisting Papua New Guinea to achieve its climate action commitments by preserving the environment, including the rainforest and using the natural resources to benefit economically through partnership arrangements in a sustainable way.

These partnerships include; investing in biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation and mitigation measures with likeminded stakeholders in science, technology, environment conservation, finance and commerce, commercialise its forest resources in a sustainable way with the introduction of appropriate knowledge in science, innovations and technology, especially in the areas of renewable energy, hydrogen gas production and other forest products, including medicinal herbs; work in collaboration with financiers, pharmaceutical companies and universities and research institutions to create a species databank of the biodiversity and also to determine the commercial value this provides, including the discovery of essential inputs for medicinal, cosmetics and agricultural products. Also to establish partnerships with investors and jointly implement eco-cultural tourism using the rainforest, the pristine and unpolluted beaches and oceans as well as lakes, rivers and waterways.

The Roundtable has attracted a high level of policy makers, experts in climate finance, environment, academia and investors from Europe, North America, Asia and the UAE to attend.

It will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel at the Dubai Marina on 15 December and the Expo Media representatives are being invited to attend as part of the media partnership recently forced between the PNG Pavilion and Click Media, a Dubai based media company with a wide Arabic and international news network.

Papua New Guinea’s Commissioner General to Expo2020, Ambassador Joshua Kalinoe said Expo2020 Dubai has created real opportunities for PNG to achieve its ambitions not only in the environment conservation and mitigation space but also in trade, investment, tourism, visibility and culture.

“Each thematic week creates an opportunity and we at the PNG Pavilion in Dubai are doing our part to take advantage of these opportunities”, Ambassador Kalinoe said

He said the PNG subtheme on Connecting Minds and Creating Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth was strategically structured in order to anchor our trade, investment, tourism, and visibility on the biggest strength the country has which is the natural and cultural resources.

“I am confident that the roundtable will result in one or two commitments by investors and other stakeholders to work in partnership with PNG on our Environment Conservation and Climate Change adaptation and mitigation measures in terms of education, science and the green economy”, Ambassador Kalinoe said.

The Roundtable is jointly organised by the PNG Expo Pavilion, the Embassy of PNG in Brussels, Belgium and the PNG Honorary Consul in Athens, Greece.

Ends

Authorised for Release by:

Joshua R. Kalinoe, CSM, CBE

Ambassador & Commissioner General Expo2020

Embassy of Papua New Guinea, Brussels, Belgium

11th December 2021