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Ms. Jacinta Warakai-Manua – Deputy Commissioner-General Expo 2020 PNG Pavilion at the Roundtable
Papua New Guinea has successfully hosted its 1st Roundtable on Education, Science, and the Green Economy at the Expo 2020 week of knowledge and learning. The event which held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai on December 16, 2021, attracted new international partnerships for Papua New Guinea in environmental protection and mitigation measures, supported science-based research into forest biodiversity. It also led to the floating of a sustainable development fund to support private and sustainable public projects, including science-based research, technology and innovation.
The Secretary-General of the UAE Chamber of Commerce and Industry, H.E Himaid Ben Salem, who officially launched the Roundtable as an inaugural event by the Papua New Guinea Pavilion in support of the Expo2020 Agenda, highlighted the importance of investing in the green economy to live in balance with nature.
“Reduction of green gas emissions through conservation and mitigation measures would create more carbon sinks that would allow the people of the World to live with healthy lungs,” he said.
The PNG Roundtable is considered as an initiative of the PNG Expo2020 Pavilion in response to the scene set by the Minister for Forest, Hon. Walter Schnaubelt, during his participation at the Week of Environment and Biodiversity in October, 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 Roundtable attracted policymakers, academics, and scientists from Papua New Guinea as well as environmentalists, private equity investors, bankers, entrepreneurs, blockchain trading experts, and stakeholders from Europe, North America, the Middle East, Asia, and the United Arab Emirates.
PNG Eco-Tourism took the attention to lead PNG to a new sustainability development approach.
The CEO of JAHEEN Group of Companies, Ms. Noha Jaheen, said: “PNG has megadiverse in culture, ecology and biodiversity! Those People Own the Paradise!! That makes PNG able to be turned into a sustainable plus energy country and lead the future of sustainable growth worldwide!!”.
The successful roundtable came out with three main recommendations:
Firstly, set up an international coalition of partners to invest in conservation and mitigation measures, including in Carbon and BlockChain trade as well as in hydrogen gas production for mobility and power generation.
Secondly, facilitate and fund research and innovation projects from private equity and public investors into a mix of sustainable economic options through a PNG and international partnership mechanism for universities and research institutions to collaborate. Additionally, private equity funds are to be made available to introduce green economy studies at PNG higher learning and research institutions.
Thirdly, set up a PNG Sustainable Development Fund that would finance projects in the green economy and sustainable infrastructure, including renewable energy. That is where the PNG Expo2020 Pavilion, in collaboration with Kundu Brussels and the PNG Honorary Consul in Athens, Greece, will coordinate the establishment of international partnerships in the three Roundtable areas.
Confirming the success of the event, H.E. Mr. Joshua Kalinoe, Commissioner General and Papua New Guinea’s Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union, said : “We are making important connections in terms of market access for our tradable goods and services, creating investment opportunities, and developing relationships by looking outside of the box and taking advantage of global opportunities as they become available. The challenge, however, is for the respective PNG Government agencies to effectively coordinate the implementation of the opportunities that are being identified, going forward.”
PNG Roundtable is considered part of a series of PNG business events aligned with Expo Dubai 2020. The 2nd Roundtable will be organised in February 2022, where partnership arrangements in the three outcomes are expected to be announced.
