FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Port Morseby, Papua New Guinea
May 20, 2026
Republic of the Marshall Islands Special Envoy to the President, Minister Anthony M. Muller, Pays Courtesy Call on Prime Minister Hon. James Marape of Papua New Guinea
Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
13 May 2026
The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Special Envoy to the President, Hon. Anthony M. Muller, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, Hon. James Marape, on the margins of the inaugural Melanesian Oceans Summit in Port Moresby this week.
During the meeting, Minister Muller conveyed warm greetings from Her Excellency Dr. Hilda C. Heine, President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and expressed the President’s sincere appreciation to Prime Minister Marape and the Government of Papua New Guinea for the gracious invitation extended to attend the Summit.
Minister Muller also conveyed President Heine’s regrets for being unable to attend due to pressing national priorities and unforeseen circumstances, while commending Papua New Guinea for successfully hosting the inaugural Melanesian Oceans Summit — a landmark regional gathering reflecting Papua New Guinea’s strong leadership in ocean stewardship and regional cooperation.
Minister Muller further welcomed Papua New Guinea’s interest in establishing a diplomatic presence in Majuro to strengthen engagement with the Micronesian region. He noted that President Heine and the RMI Cabinet warmly support this initiative and look forward to assisting the Government of Papua New Guinea in identifying suitable land or office space for its future diplomatic mission.
The Special Envoy also conveyed the sincere condolences of the Government and people of the Republic of the Marshall Islands following the devastating impacts of Tropical Cyclone Maila across parts of Papua New Guinea. “On behalf of the Government and people of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, we extend our heartfelt condolences to all families and communities affected by Tropical Cyclone Maila, particularly across Milne Bay, East New Britain, West New Britain, New Ireland, the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, and Manus,” Minister Muller stated. “The Marshall Islands stands in solidarity with Papua New Guinea during this difficult time.”
Minister Muller also conveyed the Republic of the Marshall Islands’ acknowledgement and appreciation for the recent presentation of credentials by Ambassador Junior Aini to the Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, noting that this milestone reflects the continued strengthening of diplomatic relations and cooperation between the two Pacific nations.
Prime Minister Marape thanked Minister Muller and the RMI delegation for their visit and requested that his warm regards be conveyed to President Heine. Prime Minister Marape reaffirmed Papua New Guinea’s strong support for establishing a PNG Embassy in Majuro to strengthen engagement with the Micronesian region and deepen bilateral and regional cooperation between the two countries.
The Prime Minister also expressed strong support for the East New Britain Initiative (ENBi) and Pacific Island Tuna (PIT) partnership initiatives, including opportunities for tuna landing, offloading, and processing operations in Papua New Guinea while retaining Marshall Islands product ownership and value. In addition, Prime Minister Marape indicated Papua New Guinea’s willingness to make land available for future investment opportunities under the ENBi initiative and also extended support for Marshallese citizens who may be affected by sea level rise and climate change impacts in the future.
Prime Minister Marape further highlighted Papua New Guinea’s readiness to explore more affordable medical access arrangements for citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands through PNG’s local medical service rates with their specialized health clinics with world-class medical services.
The meeting reaffirmed the close friendship between the Republic of the Marshall Islands and Papua New Guinea, and both sides expressed their shared commitment to strengthening Pacific solidarity, regional cooperation, sustainable ocean management, and climate resilience.