Canada-Papua New Guinea relations
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Bilateral relations
Diplomatic relations were established in 1975. Bilateral relations between Canada and Papua New Guinea are cordial.
In Papua New Guinea, Canada is represented by the High Commission of Canada to Australia, in Canberra. Papua New Guinea is officially represented in Canada by an Embassy in Washington, D.C., and by an Honorary Consul in Calgary. About 330 people who live in Canada were born in Papua New Guinea according to the 2021 Canadian census. Citizens of Papua New Guinea do not need a visa to visit Canada.
Trade relations
Canada's trade relations with Papua New Guinea are managed by the Trade Commissioner Service at the High Commission of Canada in Australia. Canada has modest trade relations but larger investment ties with Papua New Guinea. In 2023, total bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and Papua New Guinea was $27.7 million. Canadian merchandise exports amounted to $23.1 million, comprising mainly aircraft and machinery parts. Imports amounted to $4.6 million and were primarily coffee and vanilla. In 2022, Canadian direct investment in Papua New Guinea reached $92 million, an increase from $57 million in 2021. Canada’s main foreign direct investment in Papua New Guinea is in the mining industry.
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Development
Canada supports small and community-focused projects in Papua New Guinea through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI). Canada has contributed over $1.3 million to organizations implementing CFLI in Papua New Guinea since 2017. In 2024, Canada contributed $4 million to eight projects focusing on healthcare, women’s rights, political participation, and climate change.
Papua New Guinea has also been a beneficiary of the following projects in the Pacific Islands region:
The Kiwa Initiative (2020 to 2026) is a $79 million multi-donor Pan-Pacific regional initiative funded by Canada, France, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand. Since March 2020, Canada has contributed a total of $16 million to the Kiwa initiative through a Contribution Arrangement with the Agence française de développement (AFD). The Kiwa initiative strengthens capacities of local and national authorities and civil society organizations to design and implement small to large-scale biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation projects at local, national and regional levels through granting/funding facilities.
The Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI) (2018 to 2023) is a project implemented by the World Bank, and to which Canada contributed $1.5 million. The PCRAFI seeks to provide the Pacific island countries with disaster risk assessment and financing tools, including sovereign insurance, for enhanced disaster risk management and climate change adaptation.
Between 2015 and 2025, Canada contributes $20 million to the Asia Pacific Project Preparation Facility (AP3F) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). AP3F is a multi-donor trust fund that provides additional financial resources and technical support for the preparation of infrastructure projects in developing member countries in order to increase infrastructure development and enhance the quality of infrastructure in Asia and the Pacific.
The Canadian Trade and Investment Facility for Development (CTIF) (2018 to 2025) is a demand-driven $11.6 million technical assistance facility designed to support poverty reduction and women’s empowerment.
The Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN) (2021 to 2023) is a project implemented by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and to which Canada contributed $9.5 million. It aims to support Pacific Small Island Developing States and others in securing and structuring finance for priority climate projects by cultivating a network of highly trained, embedded climate finance advisors.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission’s (WCPFC) Special Requirements Fund has received contributions of $68,000 to $100,000 from Canada in recent years. It aims to support capacity-building among the members of the Commission such as Papua New Guinea.
Partnerships and organizations
To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and Papua New Guinea work closely in multilateral fora, such as:
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
- Commonwealth
- Open Government Partnership (OGP)
- United Nations (UN)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- World Trade Organization (WTO)
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