Port Moresby, also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific outside of Australia and New Zealand. It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the south-western coast of the Papuan Peninsula of the island of New Guinea. The city emerged as a trade centre in the second half of the 19th century. During World War II, it was a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43 as a staging point and air base to cut off Australia from Southeast Asia and the Americas.
Sir Paulias Nguna Matane was a Papua New Guinean politician who served as the eighth Governor-General of Papua New Guinea from 29 June 2004 to 13 December 2010. His memoir My Childhood in New Guinea has been on the school curriculum since the 1970s. He was a long-time contributor and columnist for The National.
Central Province is a province in Papua New Guinea located on the southern coast of the country. It has a population of 237,016 people and is 29,998 square kilometres (11,582 sq mi) in size. The seat of government of Central Province, which is located within the National Capital District outside the province, is the Port Moresby suburb of Konedobu. On 9 October 2007, the Central Province government announced plans to build a new provincial capital city at Bautama, which lies within Central Province near Port Moresby, although there has been little progress in constructing it.
Sir Mekere Morauta was a Papua New Guinean politician and economist who served as the 7th Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea from 1999 to 2002. Inheriting a depressed economy and a fractious legislature, he embarked on fundamental reforms of the country's economy and political system.
Sir Michael Thomas Somare was a Papua New Guinean politician. Widely called the "father of the nation", he was the first Prime Minister after independence. At the time of his death, Somare was also the longest-serving prime minister, having been in office for 17 years over three separate terms: from 1975 to 1980; from 1982 to 1985; and from 2002 to 2011. His political career spanned from 1968 until his retirement in 2017. Besides serving as PM, he was minister of foreign affairs, leader of the opposition and governor of East Sepik Province.
The Social Democratic Party is a political party in Papua New Guinea. It was founded in June 2010 by Port Moresby Governor Powes Parkop.
Cherubim Alfred Dambui, was a Papua New Guinea politician and Roman Catholic bishop. Dambui became the first Sepik to be ordained a Catholic priest in 1974 and served as the first premier of East Sepik Province beginning in 1976. Dambui also served as the auxiliary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Kila Haoda is a Papua New Guinean politician. He was the Governor of Central Province from 2012 to 2017.
General elections were held in Papua New Guinea between 24 June and 8 July 2017. The writs for the election were issued on 20 April, and candidate nominations closed on 27 April.
Labi Amaiu is a Papua New Guinean politician. He was a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2012 to 2017, representing the electorate of Moresby North East Open for the People's Movement for Change (2012-2013) and People's National Congress (2013-2017). He was Vice-Minister for Sports and the Pacific Games in the ministry of Peter O'Neill.
Tony Aimo is a Papua New Guinean politician. He was a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2002 to 2012 and again from 2012 to 2013, representing the electorate of Ambunti-Drekikir Open. He was Minister for Correctional Services under Michael Somare from 2007 until 2011, although he was stood aside for three months in 2010. A long-time People's Action Party member, he was briefly reported to have joined the Papua New Guinea Party following the fall of the Somare government, only to emerge as a member of Somare's National Alliance Party.
Aide Ganasi was a Papua New Guinean politician. He was a People's National Congress member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from July 2012 to March 2013 and from September 2013 until November 2016, representing the electorate of South Fly Open.
Peter Namea Isoaimo is a Papua New Guinean politician. He has been a National Alliance Party member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea since February 2014, representing the electorate of Kairuku-Hiri Open in Central Province.
Bire Kimisopa is a Papua New Guinean politician. He was a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2002 to 2007 and from 2012 to 2017, both times representing the seat of Goroka Open. He was Minister for Internal Security (2003–2006) and Minister for Justice (2006–2007) in Michael Somare's third government. He was the leader of the United Party from 2002 to 2007 and leader of the New Generation Party from 2016 to 2017.
Richard Mendani was a Papua New Guinean politician. He was a member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea from 2012 until his death in 2021, representing the electorate of Kerema Open in Gulf Province.
Janet Kaki Sape was a business leader and international netball player, coach and administrator from Papua New Guinea. She was active in promoting women's empowerment issues in the country, and received a number of awards for her work.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Papua New Guinea is part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The virus was confirmed to have reached Papua New Guinea on 20 March 2020. On 4 May 2020, Papua New Guinea was declared COVID-19 free. However, on 20 June, the government confirmed another case of COVID-19, meaning that the disease was present again within the country.
General elections were held in Papua New Guinea from 4 to 22 July 2022 to elect the members of the National Parliament for a new five-year term.
Justin Wayne Tkatchenko,, BEM is an Australian-born Papua New Guinean politician. He served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Papua New Guinea from 23 June 2022 to 12 May 2023.
The 2024 Papua New Guinean unrest started on 10 January 2024 in Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby, later spreading to Lae, caused by Prime Minister James Marape's tax deduction announcement which was later retracted. The riots saw arson, looting and various civil unrests. At least 22 people were killed. Marape later declared a state of emergency for 14 days and suspended the country's police chief and several top officials.
