Joint Media Release: National Government and Bougainville Chief Secretaries on peace efforts
Meeting today in Port Moresby, National Government Chief Secretary Ambassador Isaac Lupari, CBE and ABG Chief Secretary Joseph Nobetau agreed on a range of initiatives and measures to advance implementation of the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
Speaking after the meeting, Ambassador Lupari said “I am delighted that I have been able to spend time with Chief Secretary Nobetau to talk through how we can maintain traction and build on the very positive outcomes of the meeting of the Joint Supervisory Body that was held on 15 December 2017”. In response, Mr Nobetau commended Chief Secretary Lupari, noting “his very clear and genuine commitment”, undertaking to ensure that the Autonomous Bougainville Government makes continued and meaningful progress in enhancing good governance and autonomy arrangements.
The meeting, which was wide ranging and included Director for the National Coordination Office of Bougainville Affairs, John Avira and Deputy Secretary, DPNEC John Punde, agreed to progress a range of critical issues. These included: agreement on the Chair, members and funding arrangements for the Bougainville Referendum Commission; progressing the Second Joint Autonomy Review drawing on support from the United Nations; progressing critical referendum related issues, including finalising positions on the question to be put and criteria to apply; further progressing the Four Phase Weapons Disposal Plan; advancing critical drawdown functions, including in the area of fisheries; exploring options for meeting obligations under the compromise funding agreement for the restoration and development grant; and continued enhancement of broad ranging peace building and reconciliation initiatives, including at the national level.
The two Chief Secretaries resolved that a joint meeting of technical officials, to be co-chaired by them, will be held in Buka on 27 April and will be followed by a meeting of the Joint Supervisory Body in Arawa during the week of 14 May 2018.
The two Chief Secretaries also noted recent reports of border incursions and concerns expressed by the Government of the Solomon Islands regarding illegal and unauthorised border movements between the Solomon Islands and Bougainville. Both Chief Secretaries agreed that unlawful cross border activities were counter-productive to good bilateral relations and that there was a need to utilise existing mechanisms to address concerns.
It was agreed that Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Barbara Age, would be tasked with convening a properly constituted and fully representative meeting of the Border Committee established under the Basic Agreement Between the Government of Solomon Islands and The Government of Papua New Guinea on Border Arrangements. Both Chief Secretaries also committed to advancing options for enhancing border protection capability in South Bougainville more generally.
“There is a need to ensure that we work proactively with our Solomon Island neighbour’s so that we can build trust on all matters related to border management” Ambassador Lupari said.
In turn, Mr Nobetau noted “that there is a significant need to build border protection and capacity in South Bougainville”, noting he intended to work closely with the National Government to achieve that objective.
Both Chief Secretaries committed to address this issue in the context of forthcoming discussions.
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