UN GENERAL SECRATARY GUTERRES TOUCHES DOWN IN POM

By Nigel MADO

THE United Nations General Secretary, Antonio Guterres is in town to for the first ever official visit by any Major UN dignitary to the country.

This visit, at the invitation of Prime Minister James Marape on the cusp of Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary as a nation is to celebrate how far the nation has come and to look back on the contributions of the UN in PNG.

The visit also looks to consolidate the country’s ties with the UN as a major development partner in nation-building and will be the first ever visit by a sitting General Secretary to PNG.

Guterres upon his arrival was received by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Rosso along with fellow cabinet Ministers, Justin Tkatchenko, the Foreign Minister and Governor for the National Capital District, Powes Parkop.

According to the GS’s Itinerary for the trip, he will be paying a courtesy visit to the PNG’s Vice-Regal, the Governor General, H.E Bob Dadae at the Government house and will also be making a special address to the country in Parliament this week.

Aside from this, a meeting with the Autonomous Bougainville Government will commence tomorrow.