Bela community's 30-year journey to peace
This April, UNDP and the Catholic Diocese of Mendi made history by mediating a peace agreement between the Mendpo-Humsem and Kondup-Konjop clans in Bela, Southern Highlands Province.
Hostilities between the clans began all the way back in 1993, when a misunderstanding regarding the murder of a prominent local leader led to false accusations between the communities. The conflict, which displaced over 12,000 people, marked the first time in the history of the Highlands of Papua New Guinea that modern weapons, like assault rifles and hand grenades were used in a tribal conflict. While a court-ordered ceasefire was reached in 2002, attempts to achieve a formal peace agreement between the clans had failed three times in the last 20 years. The peace agreement was finally reached after tireless mediation and peacebuilding initiatives carried out by UNDP and the Catholic Diocese of Mendi with the generous support of the United Kingdom.
The peace ceremony was witnessed by Deputy High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, Mr. Niall Cullens; UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Mr. Aadil Mansoor; the Member of Parliament for Mendi-Munihu District, Hon. Raphael Tonpi; and various other leaders from the Province.
“Winning the peace is not easy. It takes strong minds, it takes courage and it takes wisdom. It takes everyone to see that living in the future is more important than living in the past. But most of all, it takes everyone to live up to the commitments and promises that you have made to not only yourselves, but for the many children and youngsters who are here today. They deserve to look forward to a future of stability, opportunity and promise,” Deputy High Commisioner Cullens stated at the ceremony.
In addition to formalizing the peace agreement, the ceremony witnessed the reopening of Bela's first aid post since 1993, which was refurbished by UNDP with the generous support of the United Kingdom. Anticipation of the peace agreement has also marked the return of other critical services as earlier this year, Bela successfully reopened its primary school for the first time since the conflict began.
Watch the video below to hear directly from community members what enabled them to find a path back to peace after three decades!
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A village's battle against the Bismarck Sea
This April, we marked World Environment Day by remindind the world that for many communities across the globe, the climate crisis is not a future threat, but a daily reality. Nobody knows this better than the Indigenous communities living along the banks of Murik Lakes in Papua New Guinea’s East Sepik Province. For more than six decades, these communities have been fighting a losing battle against the rising Bismarck Sea. As their shoreline has continued to disappear, many families have seen their homes repeatedly flooded and their lives displaced time and again. In the years ahead, the encroaching sea could breach the Murik Lakes entirely and destroy the traditional livelihoods of local communities.
Amid these challenges, a local civil society organization — Lakes Foundation Inc. — has emerged as a source of hope. By restoring and rehabilitating mangrove ecosystems, the organization is helping five local communities in adapting to the accelerating impacts of climate change. With the technical support of UNDP and CEPA and funding from the Global Environment Facility and the Government of New Zealand channeled through the PNG Biodiversity and Climate Fund, the organization has already planted over 50,000 mangroves across five local villages. Watch the video below to see how the initiative is helping local communities protect their traditional livelihoods and strengthen their resilience against a rising sea!
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Building counselling services in the Highlands of PNG
In many parts of the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, years of tribal fighting have exposed communities to extreme violence and personal loss, leaving deep emotional wounds. When left unaddressed, this trauma can continue to fuel cycles of violence. While many civil society organisations are already providing counselling support on the ground, few have had access to formal training in providing safe and effective psychosocial care. To help close this gap, UNDP and the Papua New Guinea Counsellors' Association, with generous support from the United Kingdom, recently hosted their first-ever basic counselling training in Hela and Southern Highlands Provinces.
During the 10-day trainings, the participants — including representatives of safe houses, law enforcement, and the justice and health sectors — learned about key counselling skills such as maintaining confidentiality, avoiding judgment, and practicing self-care. Watch the video below to hear from the participants in Hela how the training transformed their thinking and will enable them to help their communities heal!
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Strengthening cocoa cultivation on New Britain Island
To strengthen livelihoods and sustainable land-use management on New Britain Island, UNDP and CEPA are in the process of constructing 22 cocoa nurseries with a capacity of at least 10,000 cocoa seedlings in East and West New Britain Provinces. In the course of the process, over 700,000 cocoa seedlings will be distributed to over 3,500 cocoa farming households on the island. The seedlings are of a climate resilient variety resistant to the cocoa pod borer, a pest which has increasingly plagued cocoa farmers on New Britain.
This April, Kasaska Village in Inland Baining LLG, East New Britain Province received its first batch of the seedlings supplied by the Papua New Guinea Cocoa Board’s Tavilo Cocoa Research Centre.
Watch the video below to hear from the villagers how they expect UNDP's support to contribute to their income and wellbeing!
To further strenghten cocoa cultivation on the island, UNDP also had the honour of supporting 10 cocoa farmers from New Britain in attending the 2026 Greater Sepik Cocoa of Excellence and Trade Expo in East Sepik Province. As first-time attendees, the farmers gained valuable exposure to innovative farming practices, quality production standards, and successful business models from cocoa producers across PNG. The experience provided opportunities to learn, connect with industry stakeholders, and explore pathways to higher-value markets. Watch the video below to hear from the farmers what they learned from the experience!
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Advancing women's participation in the 2027 General Elections
This March, the Parliament of Papua New Guinea passed a landmark amendment to the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPAC), requiring 10% of candidates endorsed by all political parties to be women in future elections.
To support the successful implementation of these reforms, UNDP, the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission (IPPCC), the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission (PNGEC), and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) convened a three-day programme for representatives of over 40 political parties in Port Moresby this May.
“Only 11 women have been elected to the Parliament of PNG during 50 years of Independence. I congratulate our friends at IPPCC on this amendment. Now, we must ensure that the 10% minimum of candidates that are fielded in the 2027 General Elections translates into 10% of Members of Parliament being women,” UNDP Resident Representative, Mr. Nicholas Booth, stated at the event.
In addition to orienting political parties on amendments to OLIPAC, the participants also discussed proposed updates to the Codes of Conduct for political parties, candidates and scrutineers for the 2027 General Election. The updated Codes of Conduct aim to foster peaceful, accountable and inclusive elections by reducing electoral violence, online-based harassment, intimidation of women candidates, and other threats that have become increasingly prevalent in recent elections.
A key highlight of the programme was the formal adoption of the Political Parties Gender Equality Pledge by members of all participating parties. The pledge reinforces commitments to gender equality, stronger women’s leadership pathways, and more inclusive political party structures ahead of the 2027 elections. With Australia’s support, UNDP will continue working with political, electoral and administrative bodies to help political parties fulfill these obligations.
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Papua New Guinea hosts the Melanesian Oceans Summit 2026
This May, Papua New Guinea had the honour of hosting the Melanesian Oceans Summit 2026. For four days, government leaders, development partners, and environmental experts from across the region gathered in Port Moresby to explore innovative approaches to protecting marine ecosystems that communities across the Pacific depend on for their daily survival. During the summit, UNDP and the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) of the Government of Papua New Guinea hosted a joint side event titled 'Protected Areas – Making Nature’s Value Visible.' The event highlighted the importance of strengthening efforts to conserve Papua New Guinea’s rich marine biodiversity, protect natural capital, and enhance community stewardship of ocean resources. The session also highlighted key initiatives led by CEPA and UNDP across the country, including natural capital accounting, sustainable financing through the PNG Biodiversity Climate Fund, and innovative solutions for marine litter and waste management.
To mark the occasion, the Resident Representative of UNDP Papua New Guinea, Mr. Nicholas Booth, and the Resident Representative of UNDP’s Pacific Office in Fiji, Ms. Munkhtuya Altangerel, published a joint op-ed to highlight how nature-based solutions implemented through UNDP’s programming are protecting coral reefs, building blue economies and enhancing climate resilience in the Pacific.
Community Businesses Drive Milne Bay’s Blue Economy
One of UNDP's flagship initiatives in marine conservation in Papua New Guinea is the 'Gutpela Solwara, Gutpela Bisnis Programme' funded by the Global Fund For Coral Reefs and Joint SDG Fund. Through the Blue Economy Enterprise Incubation Facility that the programme helped establish in 2024, UNDP has provided small grants and technical assistance to blue micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises operating in Papua New Guinea’s Milne Bay and West New Britain Provinces.
From fisheries to eco-tourism, each enterprise reflects a shared goal: creating sustainable sources of income while safeguarding the coral reefs and other marine ecosystems that the communities depend on for sustenance.
Connecting women peacebuilders from Bougainville and the Highlands
Women in Papua New Guinea continue to face significant barriers to participation in political and peacebuilding processes, even though conflict, electoral violence, and gender-based violence particularly impact women across the country. To enhance collaboration between women peacebuilders from different regions, UNDP organized a training, reflection and peer exchange workshop for women leaders from Bougainville and the Highlands of Papua New Guinea this June. Over three days, the participants deepened their understanding of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, shared lessons they had learned from peacebuilding efforts in their respective regions, and explored practical approaches to conflict prevention, management, and resolution.
“What I have learned throughout my peacebuilding journey is that it only takes a heart to start making a difference. Many women begin this work without formal training, driven by a commitment to their communities. When we invest in their leadership and build their capacity, they become powerful agents of peace and change," stated Hon. Rose Pihei, the Deputy Speaker of the Bougainville House of Representatives
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UNDP attends the Pacific Regional Energy and Transport Ministers Meeting
This May, representatives from the energy and transport sectors across the Pacific gathered in Port Moresby for the Sixth Pacific Regional Energy and Transport Ministers Meeting. Throughout the week, the participants engaged in dynamic discussions on solutions to accelerate the Pacific’s transition to more reliable and sustainable energy sources. UNDP had the privilege of hosting a side event on scaling off-grid energy in the Pacific at the meeting. The exceptional panel of regional experts from Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Vanuatu and Samoa shared insightful experiences of how off-grid solutions have been successfully implemented in their respective countries, as well as the challenges they continue to face in accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources.
"Small island developing states (SIDS) are not only vulnerable, but they are already leading some of the most important innovations in sustainable energy transformation. As the Pacific prepares to host the pre-COP meeting ahead of COP31, global attention will turn to this region. The task ahead is to use that moment to scale what is already working with the partnerships, finance, technology, and capacity needed to match the SIDS' ambition with implementation," stated Mr. Riad Meddeb, the Director of UNDP’s Sustainable Energy Hub in his video address at the event.
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EU, UNDP and FAO Launch An Accelerator to Strengthen Climate, Forestry and Biodiversity Governance
This week, UNDP and FAO signed a EUR 2.1 million Contribution Agreement for the EU-funded 'Forest, Climate Change and Biodiversity (FCCB) SRBC Accelerator Project'. This important initiative will help strengthen national institutions, enhance climate and biodiversity data systems, and support evidence-based investment planning. Working closely with the Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA), the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA), the Papua New Guinea Forest Authority (PNGFA), the Department of National Planning and Monitoring (DNPM), and the Department of Treasury, the project will support the development of the National Climate Finance Strategy, National Blue Carbon Strategy, stronger forest monitoring systems, improved protected area management, and climate-responsive public investment planning.
“Today’s signing is more than the launch of a project. It is an investment in stronger institutions, better data, improved coordination, and evidence-based decision-making,” said UNDP Resident Representative Nicholas Booth
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