Anthony Albanese has paid his respects to Papua New Guinea’s first prime minister at his gravesite in Wewak.
The Australian Prime Minister on Friday visited the cemetery within the capital of the East Sepik Province the place former Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare is buried.
Sir Michael is credited with main the profitable independence motion in 1975. Before this, PNG had been below the administration of Australia since 1902.
Mr Albanese paid tribute to the work of Sir Michael and former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam, who collectively oversaw the Pacific island nation’s transition to independence.
“I said to the (PNG) parliament yesterday that the importance of this historical event was that you didn’t see the tearing down of a flag, you didn’t see a revolution,” Mr Albanese stated in Wewak.
“It took two leaders coming together in the interests of their people to see Papua New Guinea thrive into the future as an independent state.”
Sir Michael, who’s popularly known as the daddy of the nation, died in February 2021, aged 84.
He led PNG 4 occasions, serving within the function for 16 of PNG’s 47 years of independence.
Mr Albanese was met by PNG’s Prime Minister, James Marape, senior ministers and the Governor for East Sepik Province upon his arrival in Wewak simply after 9am on Friday.
He was offered with a conventional sepik billum, headdress and necklace, and honoured with a conventional PNG sing-sing welcome within the coastal city.
After going down in a conventional cleaning ceremony, Mr Albanese laid a wreath and a framed photograph of Sir Michael with Mr Whitlam at Sir Michael’s gravesite.
He then planted a coconut tree outdoors the Somare household house.
Mr Albanese later visited a defence barracks in Wewak, the place he described Australia and PNG as not simply neighbours, however household.
“I’m positive and optimistic with a reason because I’ve been here and I know the opportunity that there is here in PNG,” he stated.
“I’m also optimistic because I understand that the future of our two nations is so linked that success for Papua New Guinea is success for Australia and vice versa.”
Mr Albanese’s go to to Wewak comes a day after he and Mr Marape signed a “joint statement of commitment” to a brand new bilateral safety deal at their leaders’ dialogue in Port Moresby.
The two leaders have stated negotiations on the on the wide-ranging settlement — which can cowl safety and policing points, in addition to local weather change — will conclude in April, earlier than the treaty is signed in June.
With Tom McIlroy – pool reporter
