Chamber prepares for four-day resources and energy convention

Papua New Guinea Chamber of Resources and Energy (Core) president Anthony Smare has hailed this week’s inaugural PNG Resources Week as having the ingredients for success exceeding expectations in terms of registration, quality programming, participation, and the support garnered from resource sector players, governmental agencies and leaders and stakeholders.
Through the theme “Building on our Legacy: PNG Resources and Energy”, the four-day event will incorporate the Community Affairs and National Content Conference and Expo (Canconex), a PNG Resources Career Fair, the PNG Resources Summit, and the PNG Resources Week gala dinner.
More than 2,000 registrations have been received for Canconex, the PNG Resources Summit and for the PNG Resource Week Gala Dinner, and around 2,000 students are expected to participate in the careers fair.
In outlining the value of Canconex, Smare reaffirmed the importance of providing a platform for open, critical, transparent discussions, particularly for the resources sector.
“The resources and energy industry sustains the PNG economy, providing economic opportunities and social benefits to millions of Papua New Guinean stakeholders, in addition to amounting to over 80 per cent of PNG’s exports and over 25 per cent of PNG’s GDP (gross domestic product),” he said.
Smare said issues still needed to be discussed at the PNG Resources Week in which key stakeholders and observers would speak on during the event.
“PNG Resources Week will begin with the second edition of Canconex,” he said.
“Canconex 2024 is where developers, explorers, business, government, suppliers and contractors, as well as a large representation from project area landowners and landowner companies from all of PNG’s energy and resource projects will come together to discuss a range of issues including community affairs, local content, business development, social programmes and gender development.”
Smare said Prime Minister James Marape would deliver the keynote address to commence proceedings, with a view to outlining the national government’s efforts to fine tune, align, strengthen, and promote national content within the resources and energy sectors.
“The prime minister leads a high-level delegation, representing both sides of the Parliament, to discuss issues that are pertinent to communities across the country, but more especially within resource project areas.
“There will be important discussions on some of the learnings of the successes and failures of the last 40 years in the PNG resources sector.”
Smare said the National Content session would bring together participants from government, industry, and wider stakeholders, and international experts to discuss initiatives for PNG with a policy statement announcement.