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1 1 (April 4, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/govegnt0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Informinj the legislitive debate since 1914 Updated April 4, 2022 Papua New Guinea Background and Overview Papua New Guinea (PNG) lies in a region of the Southwest Pacific known as Melanesia. It is the most populous Pacific Island nation, with about 9 million residents belonging to hundreds of tribes speaking over 800 local languages and dialects. A central highland zone has peaks that reach 14,793 feet. It gained independence from an Australian- administered U.N. trusteeship in 1975. PNG shares a land border with Indonesia and is a member of the Pacific Islands Forum and the Melanesian Spearhead Group. Papua New Guinea has been strategically important to the United States in the past. An estimated 7,000 American soldiers and airmen died in the New Guinea campaign, and the nearby Battle of the Coral Sea was a key turning point in WWII. The United States has played a relatively minor economic and security role in PNG, although it has some important stated interests, including U.S. investment in natural gas production. China's expanding influence in PNG and the region is now driving increasing engagement by the United States with PNG, including in coordination with Australia and other partners. Politics The Independent State of Papua New Guinea is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. Members of parliament are elected for five-year terms of office. The next general election is expected in June 2022. James Marape, the son of a Seventh Day Adventist pastor and a leader of the Huli people of PNG's highlands, was made prime minister following the resignation of former Prime Minister Peter O'Neill in 2019. Marape led a series of defections from the O'Neill government that prompted O'Neill's resignation, and defeated O'Neill's chosen successor in a subsequent leadership vote. Marape leads the Pangu Party, which holds 23 of 111 parliamentary seats. Marape governs in coalition with the United Resource Party, the National Alliance Party, and others. Another coalition government is expected following the next election. Marape has called for a review of PNG's resource laws and key investment projects, and stated he wanted PNG to be the richest black Christian nation. Economy Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, including precious metals, natural gas, timber, and fisheries. The country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate is projected to increase from 2.1% in 2022 to 2.7% in 2023. Economic growth will likely remain vulnerable to COVID-19 disruptions. Despite its resources, PNG ranks poorly on the United Nations Development Program's Human Development Index, which measures per capita gross national income, life expectancy, and educational attainment (it is 1 55th out of 1 87 countries). Figure 1. Papua New Guinea in Brief According to the Asian Development Bank, 37.5% of the population in 2017 lived below the National Poverty Line. PNG also has a serious HIV/AIDS problem and a weak health care system. Obstacles to PNG's development include poor infrastructure, lack of government capacity, corruption, inadequate supply of skilled workers, and unstable commodity prices. Australia, China, Japan, and Singapore are PNG's largest export markets. About 13% of Papua New Guineans have reliable access to electricity. US. Relations, Assistance, and Investment The United States established diplomatic relations with Papua New Guinea in 1975, when PNG became independent. According to the Department of State, The United States and Papua New Guinea have enjoyed a close friendship, and the U.S. Government seeks to enhance Papua New Guinea's stability as a U.S. partner. U.S. assistance has sought to support public health to combat diseases including HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. U.S. assistance also seeks to build the capacity and resilience of PNG to adapt to climate change through Pacific Islands regional programs. The United States also supports the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF), which aims to sustain marine and coastal resources in the region, and the multilateral South Pacific Tuna Treaty (SPTT). Under the SPTT, the American Tunaboat Association pays licensing fees to gain access to fishing areas in the region, and the U.S. government extends $21 million annually in assistance to the Pacific Island parties to the agreement. In 2018, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Meeting in Port Moresby, then-Vice President

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