๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐๐ช ๐๐จ๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฆ ๐ ๐๐-๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ช ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก๐๐ ๐ง๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ข๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ณ โ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ฎ
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐, ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ (๐ก๐ง๐ข), ๐ถ๐ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ถ๐ฑ-๐ง๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ (๐ ๐ง๐ฅ) ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ (๐ก๐ง๐ฃ) ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ณ-๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ฎ. ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐๐ฎ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎโ๐ ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ง๐ฅ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ก๐ง๐ฃ ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ด๐ผ๐ฎ๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐โ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ด๐น๐ผ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐.
This review is made possible through the assistance of the European Union Delegation to PNG under the EUโs Multi-Annual Indicative Programme, 2021 โ 2027 funding facility, in alignment with the MTDP IV and the EUโs Global Gateway Strategy, which has enabled the engagement of GFA Consulting Group to assist the NTO in the review.
PNGโs trade performance and policy implementation over the past eight years need a thorough assessment so that successes can be built upon and shortcomings addressed. The review will help PNG align its trade policy with recent domestic priorities (such as the Medium-Term Development Plan and post-COVID economic recovery) and external developments (like environmental considerations, new market opportunities in Asia and evolving World Trade Organization rules).
Providing evidence-based analysis and guidance to the PNG government will demonstrate accountability for earlier capacity-building investments (e.g., the EUโs support in developing the NTP) by evaluating outcomes to date. Moreover, the project enables support for PNG in adopting international best practices, fostering stakeholder engagement, and ultimately ensuring that trade policy remains effective and relevant.
Essentially, there will be three main elements to the review: the first is a retrospective assessment of the NTP to take stock of the progress, determine how effective the policy measures have contributed to the attainment of the objectives and identify key challenges with implementation. The second is a prospective assessment, which takes into account the current and emerging trade issues at the international and national levels and recommendations for adjustments. Thirdly, there will be a review of the National Trade Policyโs Strategic Implementation Plan (SIP) and integration of its findings.
Over the next several months, until November 2025, the National Trade Office will be engaged in extensive consultations with all concerned stakeholders. The NTO will lead; however, input from other government departments, agencies, provincial representatives, and regulatory bodies is necessary to gauge cross-sectoral progress. The private sector and SMEs will be consulted to understand the on-the-ground impacts of the trade policy and persistent business barriers. Civil society and academic experts can offer insights on inclusiveness (e.g., the impacts on small farmers or women traders) and provide evidence-based critiques. International and regional actors are also key stakeholders.
The WTO context is important, as PNGโs policy should align with its multilateral commitments, since PNGโs 2019 Third WTO trade policy review welcomed the NTP as a framework for such alignment.
Development partners like the European Union, which supported PNGโs trade capacity under the 11th EDF and helped fund the NTPโs formulation, have a stake in the policyโs success and are providing technical input or resources for the midterm review.
Australia and New Zealand, as major trade partners and aid providers in the Pacific, along with regional bodies such as the Pacific Islands Forum and Melanesian Spearhead Group, are interested in PNGโs trade reforms and regional trade integration efforts. These partners will be engaged to ensure that the midterm review captures opportunities for regional cooperation and technical assistance. Likewise, PNGโs participation in APEC provides avenues to adopt best practices from Asia-Pacific peers.
Therefore, it is important for all concerned stakeholders to be part of the review that provides an opportunity to realign the NTP with current realities, ensuring its strategies remain relevant in the face of climate change impacts, advances in information technology, commodity price fluctuations, potential global trade disruptions due to US tariffs and shifting investment patterns. Accordingly, the National Trade Office will be inviting concerned stakeholders to participate in this Mid-Term Review exercise, with the final report expected to be presented to the government by January 2026.
Approved By:
Richard Yakam
Chief Trade Officer
