Locations
Our Focus
Sustainable Economic Transformation
Overview
Despite steady economic growth, Papua New Guinea has not succeeded in improving its human development indicators at the same rate in the past decades. The average citizen completes only around 5 years of schooling during their lifetime and due to limitations of the national health system, the country’s life expectancy remains low at 66. Rates of unemployment are high throughout the country, particularly among young people, and most of the population depends on subsistence farming for daily survival.
Historically, the economic growth of Papua New Guinea has been spearhead by the country’s extractive industries. Despite some successes, this economic model has not proven to be successful in promoting inclusive, pro-poor growth and protecting the country’s vast natural resources. Financial literacy among the population remains low and the infrastructure for establishing micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises remains undeveloped and inaccessible for most citizens. Only 20% of the population has reliable access to electricity.
UNDP is a key partner in facilitating Papua New Guinea’s transformation towards a more sustainable green and blue economy. We support the Government of Papua New Guinea in this transition by building facilities for training people on useful income generating skills. We support local MSMEs in scaling up their operations through grants, capacity building, and linking them with new markets and supply lines. We also continue to improve access to reliable electricity through renewable energy solution.
