Bougainville and PNG progress Joint Consultations
Bougainville’s independence aspirations remain steadfast however the ABG will continue to foster collaborative engagements with the National Government to maintain the rapport built by President Ishmael Toroama and Prime Minister James Marape.
Apart from the various socioeconomic and political developments the ABG is embarking on, the post referendum joint consultations remain the foremost objective of President Toroama since taking office in September last year.
“It is through the joint consultations that Bougainville can formally put forward its position that reflects the overwhelming 97.7 percent result of the referendum that opted for independence,” President Toroama said.
“The referendum results also offer Bougainville a new direction from the current autonomous arrangements on Bougainville and that new direction is independence,” President Toroama said.
“The ABG has already taken steps to improve fiscal self-reliance and on the political front we have just initiated the independence ready mission as part of this new direction,” he added.
In the seven months since assuming office, President Toroama has worked tirelessly to improve and initiate these programs.
President Toroama also thanked Prime Minister James Marape for his empathy towards Bougainville despite the probability of secession by the region.
Upon their meeting last week in Port Moresby, the Prime Minister vowed to further strengthening Bougainville’s economic sector through tax concessions and support in other areas.
However, it was evident that the Prime Minister’s position on the question of secession by Bougainville would not be explicitly discussed by the two leaders until the consultations.
Both leaders have agreed that the consultations will begin soon and they have directed their respective governments begin planning for it.
President Toroama said that in order for Bougainville to achieve sovereignty as an independent nation it must abide by the parameters of the Bougainville Peace Agreement and jointly implement it with the National Government.
[ Back to News ]
