Activities of the Secretary-General in Papua New Guinea, 2 - 5 September

On Tuesday, 2 September, the Secretary-General arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. He travelled to the country at the invitation of Prime Minister, James Marape to take part in events to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Papua New Guinea's independence.

During his first day in the country, he met with the Governor General, Bob Bofeng Dadae. This was followed by a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister, James Marape.

Immediately after their meeting, during a press conference with the Prime Minister, Mr. Guterres said he was honoured to be the first UN Secretary-General to visit Papua New Guinea and to join in celebrating fifty years of the country's independence. For the past five decades, he said, Papua New Guineans have taken on a profound task: to weave their breathtaking diversity into one people and one country that leaves no one behind.

Papua New Guinea has long led the charge for climate justice, the Secretary-General said. As the UN Climate Conference approaches in Brazil, he added, the world must move faster to keep the 1.5°C limit alive and also to produce a credible path to achieve the $1.3 trillion dollar objective decided in Baku.

On Wednesday, 3 September, Mr. Guterres delivered an address to the Parliament of Papua New Guinea during a special session to mark the country's fiftieth anniversary of independence.

He told the members of Parliament that for the past half century, the people of Papua New Guinea have worked to forge a single nation out of many traditions, many islands, many tongues. It is a path that demands courage and vision, the Secretary-General said, adding that the United Nations is proud to accompany the country on every step.

Turning to climate, the Secretary-General said that time and again we have seen climate leadership flow not from countries with the most wealth and power - but from those who know the stakes firsthand. Papua New Guinea is home to 7 per cent of the world's biodiversity and some of the largest coral reefs and rainforests on the planet. Mr. Guterres said we must be ever vigilant in safeguarding these crucial ecosystems, adding that the country has made the case that national protection deserves global support.

During the day, the Secretary-General met with the leaders of the Autonomous Bougainville Government. He also met with a group of women leaders. In the evening, the Secretary-General took part in a State dinner organized by the Prime Minister.

On Thursday, 4 September, the Secretary-General travelled to the coastal town of Wewak, along with the Prime Minister, James Marape. He laid a wreath at the resting place of the country's first Prime Minister, Michael Somare. 

He then travelled to the Nuku district, one of the country's rural areas, where he met community members and government officials. On his way there, he saw parts of the third biggest rainforest in the world. Speaking at an event in Nuku, the Secretary-General highlighted the challenges brought about by climate change in the Pacific region. He said we are extremely grateful because of the forests that the people of New Guinea are preserving for the world. 

Later in the day, the Secretary-General went to Mount Hagen, the capital of the Western Highlands province. While there, he had meetings with the provincial authorities and civil society, and joined them for a dinner.

Throughout the day, the Secretary-General was accompanied by the Prime Minister.

On Friday, 5 September, the Secretary-General travelled back to Port Moresby, where he took part in a town hall with UN staff.

At the airport, immediately before leaving Papua New Guinea, in a joint press encounter, he spoke to the media alongside Prime Minister James Marape. He told journalists gathered that he felt gratitude and solidarity for the role played by the country today, especially as it relates to its contribution to address climate change.

Papua New Guinea does not contribute to climate change, he said, adding that the country has a negative emissions record, due to an enormous carbon sink: its rainforest and the ocean. The international community, which benefits from the country's forests and oceans, must pay back, Mr. Guterres said. First, the international community needs to accept that there must be climate justice. Countries like Papua New Guinea must have all the support that was promised to address adaptation needs, to build resilience and to protect people and country against the devastating impact of climate change.

But, he added, there must also be justice in the way international financial institutions address the problems of development. The Secretary-General reiterated his call for reforms of the international financial architecture.

The Secretary-General left Papua New Guinea on Friday, 5 September 2025.

During a layover in Hong Kong, on Friday evening, the Secretary-General was invited to a dinner at the residence of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Cui Jianchun.

The Secretary-General arrived in New York on Saturday, 6 September.