Pacific / Papua New Guinea

Bougainville and PNG to meet for talks next month

09:26 am on 28 November 2017

The autonomous Bougainville government is hoping it can finally resolve an impasse over financing when President John Momis meets Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill next month.

President of the autonomous Bougainville government, John Momis. Photo: RNZI

Joint Supervisory Body discussions are to be held in the third week of December after a series of deferrals.

For years Bougainville has claimed that Port Moresby has not being paying the region what it is constitutionally obliged to do.

PNG Loop reported Mr Momis said the national government owed Bougainville more than $US276 million dollars in Restoration Development Grants and another $US61 million from the Special Intervention Fund.

Port Moresby has challenged the figures but Mr Momis says the national government does accept it owes $US110 million.

The money is important to help the region develop its services and its economy before a vote on independence scheduled for June 2019.