The 19th Papua New Guinea-Australia Ministerial Forum was held at the Marriott Hotel in Brisbane on 10 June 2009. Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Stephen Smith, co-chaired the Ministerial Forum with PNG's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration, Samuel Abal.
The first five Implementation Schedules to the Papua New Guinea - Australia Partnership for Development were endorsed at the meeting. They detail mutual commitments to improve transport infrastructure, basic education, health, the public service and statistics.
The Forum also announced that three new Implementation Schedules on HIV/AIDS, Higher Education (tertiary and technical and vocational education), and Law and Justice will be developed for consideration at the 2010 Ministerial Forum.
The Ministerial Forum also agreed to a joint review of the Papua New Guinea university system to be undertaken by Sir Rabbie Namaliu and Professor Ross Garnaut and endorsed terms of reference for the review of the PNG-Australia Treaty on Development Cooperation.
More information:
Joint Statement from the 19th Papua New Guinea-Australia Ministerial Forum