Papua New Guinea used the International Year of Cooperatives to reboot its cooperative agenda. The country hosted Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director for Asia Pacific at the International Cooperative Alliance, for four days of policy talks and sector showcases. The visit focused on aligning Papua New Guinea’s laws with cooperative principles and on rebuilding support structures that have atrophied over time. Secretary for Commerce and Industry David Ganai said policy alignment is under way and stressed the Marape government’s backing. “We are committed to building a robust framework that empowers cooperatives and ensures their long-term viability.”
Reuben Yapi, National President of the National Cooperatives Secretariat, framed co-ops as a tool for balanced development. “Cooperatives’ equitable inclusion will deliver the government’s NASP Plan, curb urban drift and create more employment,” he said. The visit spotlighted grassroots brands from the Witu Coconut Growers Cooperative in West New Britain to Unen Choit Cooperative coffee in Morobe, which show how co-ops can aggregate production, strengthen bargaining power and bridge market access gaps for rural MSMEs.
Strategic Communications, known as StratCom, which organises the AgriTradeExpo and the PNG SME Awards, said it would support the Secretariat and launch inaugural Cooperative Awards in November to recognise sectors from agriculture and fisheries to energy. Papua New Guinea became the first Pacific nation to activate International Year of Cooperatives awareness through the Lae AgriTradeExpo. This reinforces a partnership model in which government sets frameworks while private and civil-society partners help rebuild cooperative capacity. If the legal refresh is matched with access to finance and extension services, co-ops could again be a frontline instrument for smallholder incomes and regional jobs.
