PAPUA NEW GUINEA REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS AT THE 2026 UN HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL FORUM
- Jul 14
- 2 min read
Papua New Guinea has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development during the 2026 United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), currently underway at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
A key highlight of the forum is the Ministerial Segment (13–15 July 2026), where ministers from around the world present their countries' progress, priorities and commitments towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
On Monday, 13 July 2026, the Minister for National Planning and Monitoring, Hon. Sir Ano Pala, KBE, CMG, ISO, MP, delivered Papua New Guinea's national statement during the General Debate under the theme, "Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all."
In his address, Minister Pala said the forum's theme aligns closely with Papua New Guinea's national development priorities under the Medium-Term Development Plan IV (2023–2027), Vision 2050, and the Reset PNG at 50 Agenda.
The Minister acknowledged that while progress towards the SDGs has been uneven, Papua New Guinea remains firmly committed to achieving the goals despite challenges such as climate change, financing gaps, institutional capacity constraints and implementation hurdles.
Highlighting this year's SDGs under review, Minister Pala outlined key national initiatives, including:
SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation: Strengthening the National WaSH Authority, expanding district-level planning, and scaling climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services through the UMBEN data platform.
SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy: Advancing renewable energy through new policies covering hydropower, solar, wind, bioenergy and geothermal energy, alongside a ten-year Energy Transition Action Plan developed in partnership with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure: Expanding economic connectivity through the Connect PNG Programme, delivering strategic infrastructure such as the Sisimakam–P'nyang Access Road, and accelerating digital transformation through initiatives including SevisPass and the Pukpuk Digital Connectivity Initiative.
SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: Implementing the National Housing Policy, promoting sustainable urban development, and building on the successful hosting of the Pacific Urban Forum 7 in Port Moresby earlier this year.
SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: Reaffirming the importance of strong partnerships, with Papua New Guinea and the United Nations system successfully implementing a US$95.7 million joint work plan in 2025 through more than 50 implementing partners.
Minister Pala emphasized that strong institutions, sustainable financing, reliable data and meaningful partnerships remain essential to accelerating Papua New Guinea's development journey. He also called for strengthened international cooperation and reforms to the global development financing architecture to better support countries with unique vulnerabilities, including Small Island Developing States.
In conclusion, the Minister reaffirmed Papua New Guinea's commitment to working alongside development partners to transform the Sustainable Development Goals into tangible improvements in the lives and livelihoods of all Papua New Guineans.
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