India, Papua New Guinea signed four agreements to deepen bilateral relations

India and Papua New Guinea on 29 April 2016 signed four agreements/MoUs to boost the bilateral relations.

These MoUs were inked during the two-day visit (28 to 29 April 2016) of President Pranab Mukhrejee to Papua New Guinea. Mukherjee’s visit was the first ever presidential visit from India to this country.

The signed agreements/MoUs are

• MoU in the Field of Health Care and Medical Science: It was inked between the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Health and HIV/AIDS of Papua New Guinea.

• MoU for a USD 100 Million Credit Line: It was inked for development of infrastructure in the island-nation between the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Export Import Bank of India.

• MoU for cooperation in agricultural research: It was inked between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi and PNG University of Technology, Lae, Papua New Guinea.

• MoU for establishing of India-Papua New Guinea Centre for Excellence in IT.

Also Read: Union Cabinet approved MoU between India and Papua New Guinea on cooperation in health and medical science

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is the largest of all the Pacific island-nations. It is a state that occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and its offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean north of Australia.

• It is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world.

• 852 languages are listed for the country, of which 12 have no known living speakers.

• Most of the population of over 7 million people lives in customary communities, which are as diverse as the languages.

• It is also one of the most rural, as only 18 percent of its people live in urban centres.

• The country is one of the world’s least explored nations, culturally and geographically.

• Many undiscovered species of plants and animals are thought to exist in the interior, as well as groups of uncontacted people.

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