The state has been modifying its legal framework to improve the investment environment in Papua New Guinea. The hope is that these changes will make economic activity more transparent and efficient, thereby helping PNG improve its position in the World Bank’s Doing Business rankings and attract more international participation in the economy. However, in what appears to be a set of contradictory…
A signatory to a large number of free trade agreements, PNG is in the process of negotiating accession to others. However, it is perhaps not as well integrated with other Asia-Pacific economies as it might have hoped, and its existing trade deals do not seem to be doing much to strengthen the economy. Furthermore, there is growing concern regarding the nature of future trade agreements and…
In recent years, Papua New Guinea has sought to complete two key international transactions, and neither has gone as planned. The $300m facility from the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) to provide dollar liquidity is still being discussed, while a $1bn-plus international bond has been at least twice delayed, in 2013 and again in 2015. The international bond deal is the…
Located on the Gulf of Huon, due north of Port Moresby, Morobe province is widely regarded as Papua New Guinea’s industrial heartland. The region is the gateway to the highlands and islands as well, providing the main transport link between the most populous provinces of the country. The Highlands Highway ends here, making the region’s capital, Lae, the centre for a wide variety of economic…
The country is facing a severe shortage of US dollars, and this has had a direct and significant impact on the economy. Importers are unable to get the funds they need, while insurance companies have faced a loss of reinsurance coverage due to the lack of dollars. Some critics assert that the currency problems are the direct result of a June 2014 decision by the central bank, Bank of Papua…
The government of Papua New Guinea has rolled out a new plan to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by improving access to finance and training. Unveiled in February, the SME Policy and Master Plan 2016-30 sets out objectives to expand the economy and create employment outside of the main population and trade hubs. The package, slated to receive PGK200m ($68.3m) worth of funding…
Financial institutions are making small but significant moves that are helping the sector to evolve incrementally. To a great extent, the changes revolve around branch expansion and the reach within the community. Westpac Bank currently has 16 branches around the country, while the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) has 12. Bank South Pacific (BSP) has 44 branches and 44 BSP Rural…
The government of Papua New Guinea has rolled out a new plan to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by improving access to finance and training. Unveiled in February 2016, the SME Policy and Master Plan 2016-30 sets out objectives to expand the economy and create employment outside of the main population and trade hubs. The package, slated to receive PGK200m ($68.3m) worth of…
Historically, Papua New Guinea’s banking sector has been one of the most profitable in the world in terms of return on equity and interest rate spreads. In 2015 the gap between borrowing and lending rates was reported at 8.3%, down slightly from 9% in 2014, but higher than in most of its neighbours – Indonesia was at 4.3%, Malaysia at 1.5%, the Philippines at 4% and Thailand at 5.1%. Most…
As one of the least insured countries in the world, with insurance penetration as a percentage of GDP under 2%, Papua New Guinea has made micro-insurance a priority in order to help increase the uptake of policies. The public sector, insurers, donors and other parties have been working together to come up with solutions that could help to get more people insured. As in many countries, especially…
