Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
[Remarks as Prepared]
DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR ISOBEL COLEMAN: Thank you, Mr. [Cullighan] Tanda, for that introduction. Thank you, Ambassador [Anne Marie] Yastishock, for those thoughtful remarks. A special thanks to Hela Provincial Administrator, Marago Tagoba, and Morobe Deputy Provincial Administrator, Robin Bazzinuc, for joining us. And good afternoon, everyone. It’s great to be here with you today.
My name is Isobel Coleman, and I have the privilege of helping run the U.S. Agency for International Development – USAID – a part of the U.S. government that supports partner countries, like Papua New Guinea, as they work to enhance economic opportunity and promote healthy, safe societies, free of violence. I just arrived today, and I’m so pleased to be here.
USAID and the U.S. government have been partnering with the Pacific Islands since the earliest years of our Agency. In the decades that followed WWII, as Pacific nations began to gain their independence, USAID worked with these newly free nations to invest in small businesses, help grow sectors like agriculture and fisheries, and connect local goods to international markets.
Over the years, we’ve helped communities recover from natural disasters, invested in education and technology, and joined with the Papua New Guinean people to take on diseases like HIV. And, we’ve worked to build resilience to a changing climate and helped to expand economic opportunities.
As a large, diverse, and resource-rich Pacific Island country, Papua New Guinea has extraordinary potential. But – as we know – violence, inequality, and poverty can stifle such potential. We are partnering with the Papua New Guinea government and people to counter gender-based violence, tribal conflicts in the Highlands region, and other forms of violence to help promote peace and stability in PNG.
At USAID, we prioritize placing local voices in the lead. So, in designing the project we’re launching here today, we’ve sat down with Papua New Guineans, internalized their perspectives, and responded accordingly. We hear women and girls who say they feel unsafe. We hear men when they say they feel frustrated. And, we hear young people when they express concern about their futures.
We know violence has economic implications. When women are unsafe, they are stripped of opportunities to financially provide for themselves and their families. Tribal violence prevents promising young people from engaging in initiatives to make their communities healthier and more prosperous.
Put simply, when citizens are affected by violence, they cannot harness their full potential.
The Papua New Guinean people are working toward a foundation of peace and stability on which to build safe and fulfilling lives, and to pursue their dreams and ambitions. We stand with you and support you in this endeavor. As Ambassador Yastishock outlined, our plan is to partner with the PNG people to address the root causes of violence and to build durable inclusive peace on the island.
Today, I’m pleased to launch USAID’s Papua New Guinea Peace Project.
As you’ve heard, this five-year, $26 million project will work to strengthen community capacity in PNG’s Hela and Morobe provinces to peacefully respond to violence – especially violence against women and youth. It will support sustainable and equitable livelihood opportunities. And, it will focus on strengthening local institutions – including community mediation and justice systems – to be more accountable, responsive, and transparent.
This project was created through an extensive two-year process, during which we directly consulted dozens of stakeholders – including local governments, the private sector, civil society members, and local communities. And, as we implement, we will continue to work in close partnership with local leaders.
Through interventions like peacebuilding training and community dialogues, the Peace Project will work to plant the seeds of peace from the ground up. Working with civil society organizations and civic engagement programs, the project will support and equip local peacemakers with specialized training and responsive resources. To help build economic stability for the Papua New Guinean people, we will connect PNG businesses and entrepreneurs with resources such as grants and credit, and provide vocational training to improve economic livelihoods.
To our Papua New Guinean partners in the room, we thank you for your collaboration as we implement the Peace Project together in service of the PNG people. The U.S. government remains committed to supporting Papua New Guinea’s communities and government to achieve PNG’s development goals, and we will do this by listening to our partners and following their lead.
Thank you.