Prior to the outbreak of Covid-19, Papua New Guinea’s banking sector was healthy. Liquidity increased substantially over recent decades, with the liquid asset ratio of commercial banks growing from 40% in 2003 to 49.6% in 2017. However, the pandemic has brought substantial macroeconomic challenges throughout the world, leaving no country unaffected. Although PNG has benefitted from its geographical…
Papua New Guinea has an abundance of wealth in hydrocarbons and minerals that provides it with a solid foundation for economic growth, but also leaves the country vulnerable to the volatility of global commodity markets. As such, the government is following a long-term economic development strategy that aims to expand the state’s revenue share from lucrative extractive projects, encourage offshore…
In recent years Papua New Guinea’s trade and investment environment has been characterised by government policies aimed at generating wider fiscal and social benefits from the country’s resource wealth, while simultaneously growing exports and decreasing imports as it develops a broader economic base. Around 86% of exports from PNG are generated by the extractive industries, principally liquefied…
Papua New Guinea is a vast archipelago, of which the main island – shared with Indonesia – forms the largest tropical island on Earth. Known for its unique flora and fauna, the country is famous for its environmental variety. However, with more than 850 languages spoken within its borders, it is also considered one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world. Enjoying heterogeneous landscapes…
In recent years, Papua New Guinea has moved away from its long-held policy of tariff reductions, towards import substitution and self-sufficiency. As the coronavirus pandemic underlines vulnerabilities in public finances and international supply chains, efforts to scale up local industrial production are likely to take on renewed importance, as is the need to reduce exposure to unsustainable debt.…
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Papua New Guinea’s foreign currency reserves are being put under renewed pressure by the coronavirus pandemic, but there is hope that gold exports could partially offset falling prices and lower demand in other commoditymarkets. The Pacific Island nation initially entered a two-week state of emergency on March 24, shortly after its first Covid-19 case was confirmed. During this time,…
Papua New Guinea confirmed its first case of Covid-19 on March 20, involving a foreign mine worker in Morobe Province. This prompted the government to declare a two-week state of emergency commencing March 24, which has since been extended by two months. News of the first case causedsome urban residentsto rush to stores to stockpile groceries, raising questions about food security…
