More Pacific Island leaders arrived in Port Moresby last night for the third summit of the Forum for India Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC), jointly hosted by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Honourable James Marape.
Commissioner of Police David Manning said that security will be of its highest because four major high profile world leaders, including the US Secretary of State, Anthony John Blinken, Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Chris Hipkins, Prime Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, and other Pacific Island leaders, will be in attendance.
The President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, was scheduled to attend the meeting but had to cancel due to pressing issues back in the States. He will be represented by Mr Blinken.
Mr Manning is urging police personnel to keep to their code of ethics and maintain professionalism, and duty of care for the duration of the summit.
“The world leaders have been accorded the full security motorcade. I expect all policemen and women to consider themselves privileged to witness and play an important role in what will go down in PNG’s history as another great historic event after the global event of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in 2018,” Mr Manning said.
He said from today, city residents will see a heavy police presence with police officers stationed around the city. Roads will be blocked off near event sites and routes used by delegates.
Mr Manning called upon the city residents and the people of Papua New Guinea to come together and ensure that the world leaders’ stay in PNG will be a memorable one for them as they collectively address world and regional issues affecting member countries.
The Police Commissioner commended the combined efforts thus far of the Joint Agency Task Force which includes the other two disciplinary forces, PNG Defence Force and the PNG Correctional Service.
He said the city is already on high alert with helicopters keeping surveillance in the sky, normal police duties apart from the motorcades and escorts on motorbikes, and water police and PNG Defence Force patrol boats in the seas around the APEC House.
Countries in attendance for FIPIC include Fiji, Tuvalu, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Niue, Cook Islands, New Zealand, Australia, India, and the United States of America.
Niue Premier Dalton Tagelagi being escorted out of the Jackson’s International Airport, Port Moresby, to his waiting vehicle, by NCD Governor Powes Parkop (right) and Motu Koitabu Chairman and NCD Deputy Governor Dadi Toka Jnr (left) yesterday evening.