UN General Assembly
2018

I am pleased today to address the General Assembly on behalf of my Prime Minister, His Excellency Mr. Peter Paire O’Neill, and the Government and the people of Papua New Guinea. I congratulate you, Madam President, and the people of Ecuador on your election as the first woman leader from the Latin American and the Caribbean region to preside over the General Assembly. You can count on Papua New Guinea as a partner committed to supporting your work during your presidency. I would also like to thank the outgoing President, His Excellency Mr. Miroslav Lajčák, for his excellent work in the past year. It is also important to commend the leadership of the Secretary-General for the reform of the United Nations and its systems, the United Nations being an organization that is so fundamental to the peace, prosperity and security of the world. This is an exciting year for Papua New Guinea because, throughout 2018, we are hosting the Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. In so doing, our country is emerging on the global stage as never before.