Event: Papua New Guinea’s next 40 years

After 40 years of independence, there are good reasons to be optimistic about the future of Papua New Guinea. The country is endowed with vast natural resources, a capacity to feed itself and a young population. Papua New Guinea is also likely to benefit from its proximity to the new global centre of economic gravity in East Asia. But current negative trends – in the economy, law and order, health and education – do not augur well for progress in raising living standards. The next generation of leaders in Papua New Guinea will need to be innovative if they are to turn these trends around and implement policies that deliver rather than promise long-term sustainable development.

Join us for a conversation with the Lowy Institute’s Jenny Hayward-Jones who will discuss her research on the challenges the next generation of leaders in Papua New Guinea will face. The Director of the Melanesia Program at the Lowy Institute, Jenny manages the Australia-PNG Network and Australia-PNG Emerging Leaders Dialogue, is the author of several research papers on Australia’s relations with the Pacific Islands region and convenes regular public events on Papua New Guinea.  Prior to joining the Lowy Institute Jenny was an officer in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for thirteen years.  She worked as Policy Adviser to the Special Coordinator of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands in 2003 and 2004. Jenny holds a BA (Hons) from Macquarie University and a MA in foreign affairs and trade from Monash University.