The Australian Government is reinforcing its commitment to sustainable forestry by partnering with Papua New Guinea (PNG) through the PNG Forestry Twinning Program. This initiative, backed by development funding, aims to enhance technical assistance, capacity building, and sustainable forest management in PNG.
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy, Matt Lowe, highlighted that this collaboration will support plantation forestry frameworks and policies, ensuring a sustainable wood supply in the region.
Australia and PNG share a long history of forestry cooperation, focusing on improving sustainable management practices and tackling illegal logging. This program strengthens that bond by facilitating workshops, technical exchanges, and policy development.
The Forestry Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding, signed in February 2023, underpins the program, which is currently funded through the PNG Institutional Partnerships Program by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
By fostering knowledge-sharing and industry governance, Australia and PNG are taking a united approach to a more sustainable and responsible forestry future.