His Excellency the Grand Chief Sir Bob Bofeng Dadae GCL, GCMG, KStJ, Governor General of Papua New Guinea, has officially welcomed the new Ambassador-designate of the Republic of Peru to PNG, H.E. Vitaliano Valencia. According to a statement, Ambassador Valencia presented his Letters of Credence to the Governor General at Government House on Thursday June 20th, 2024. In his welcome remarks, Grand Chief Sir Bob acknowledged the support of Peru to PNG through international forums and urged both countries to enter into cooperation agreements. “The PNG Government recognizes and appreciates the continued support that Peru has given to Papua New Guinea’s development aspirations through its significant contributions to the APEC and the United Nations.” “I would like to invite the Republic of Peru to consider the possibility of entering into a Technical Cooperation Agreement that can enable both our countries to cooperate in areas of agriculture, fisheries, forestry and Agri-food products, that are native to both our lands,” the Governor General said. Ambassador Valencia informed the Governor General of Papua New Guinea’s participation in meetings in Lima, Peru, by key Government departments of Finance, Trade and Tourism in which the subject of inclusion of the informal sector to the formal economy was discussed and agreed upon. Additionally, Ambassador Valencia said, there are opportunities of cooperation between PNG and Peru in the areas of preservation of natural resources and traditional cultures that both countries have in common. “Many areas of cooperation are in front of us." "Preserving the environment, from the pollution of plastic in the oceans, using our natural resources in a sustainable way and keeping our traditions and the first nation’s way of life in their natural environment,” Ambassador Valencia said. Furthermore, Ambassador Valencia commended Papua New Guinea for its unwavering stance in highlighting to the international community and through international forums issues concerning the environment, climate change as well as upholding democratic values in its Westminster-styled system of government. Meanwhile he said, Papua New Guinea continues to be a powerful voice in the region and in international forums and has been a key player in shifting the approach of powerful countries to the plight of the island nations in the Pacific and advocating for action towards sustainable development in the Pacific and the world.