Prime Minister Marape Opens New Airport at Kavieng

Prime Minister Hon. James Marape said the Government was investing in other key infrastructure developments like the K125.7 million Kavieng Airport Development.

He said this in front of a massive crowd on 3 November

2022, when opening the project which he launched in June 2020, and which was built through the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded Civil Aviation Development Investment Programme (CADIP) and Government counterpart funding.

The project covered pavement strengthening and a 500 m runway extension to achieve a total length of 2,200 m, construction of the new terminal building, construction of the new airport market facility, construction of the powerhouse and installation of standby power supply, installation of an airfield lighting system, installation of water supply and a new carpark.

PM Marape thanked ADB for its support of CADIP since 2009 and its continuation through CADIP II.

He also announced:

• K10 million would be provided for expansion of Kavieng Town and urged local landowners to free up land for this purpose and

• A new port would be built in Kavieng through the Australia-PNG partnership program.

The Prime Minister and a large delegation from Port Moresby arrived in an Air Niugini Boeing 737 aircraft to demonstrate that Kavieng Airport can now handle international flights.

He was accompanied by Civil Aviation Minister and Namatanai MP, Hon. Walter Schnaubelt, Treasurer and Kavieng MP, Hon. Ian Ling-Stuckey, Finance Minister, Hon. Rainbo Paita, ADB Country Director David Hill, management of the major airlines Air Niugini and PNG Air, department heads, provincial administration representatives, local leaders and New Ireland people.

Meantime, across the Bismarck Sea in Manus, Deputy Prime Minister Hon. John Rosso opened the East-West Coast Highway Redevelopment.