Visit to Papua New Guinea for APEC

I will visit Port Moresby from 14 to 16 November to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministerial Meeting. Australia is proud to support Papua New Guinea as it hosts APEC in 2018, and my visit will reinforce the strong partnership between our two countries.

At APEC I will articulate Australia's strong commitment to economic openness and the rules-based international trading system.

APEC is the preeminent regional forum for promoting regional economic integration, open trade and investment, and sustainable and inclusive growth. APEC accounts for almost half of global trade, 60 per cent of global GDP and 12 of Australia's top 15 trading partners.

While in PNG I will also meet with a number of regional counterparts who are also attending APEC. This visit provides a timely opportunity to discuss Australia's stepped up engagement with the Pacific. This includes Australia's infrastructure financing facility, labour mobility and increased diplomatic footprint in the Pacific.

During the visit I will also highlight women's economic empowerment as a priority issue for both Australia and APEC. I will also open an Australian-supported automotive skills training facility that delivers technical training, with an expected intake of more than 50 per cent female students. This will provide an important contribution to improved technical and vocational skills.