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Dec 26, 2024 | 
benarnews.org | Michael Kabuni
Polygamy, still practiced in some parts of Papua New Guinea, symbolized wealth and status in the country’s so-called “big man” culture. The greater the fortune a man accumulated, the more wives he could support, with each wife contributing to managing the family’s estate. Central also to marriage is bride price - a ceremony bringing together two families with an exchange of monies, pigs and produce. It’s not always a one-way transaction, but nowadays is usually more onerous on the groom’s side.
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Dec 2, 2024 | 
devpolicy.org | Michael Kabuni
At the 2024 PNG Update, the PNG Prime Minister James Marape went to great lengths to argue that political stability is a prerequisite for economic development. He referenced the high economic growth that started in the 2000s under the late Prime Minister Michael Somare as the basis of political stability.
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Oct 24, 2024 | 
rnz.co.nz | Michael Kabuni
By Michael KabuniOpinion - More than three months behind schedule, millions in new high-tech equipment wasted, and many workers left unpaid, these are the statistical outcomes so far from Papua New Guinea's census. While this case study in PNG administrative failure continues to unfold, ministers are heading overseas to learn about implementing a new counting system to underpin the county's democracy.
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Oct 24, 2024 | 
benarnews.org | Michael Kabuni
More than three months behind schedule, millions in new high-tech equipment wasted, and many workers left unpaid, these are the statistical outcomes so far from Papua New Guinea’s census. While this case study in PNG administrative failure continues to unfold, ministers are heading overseas to learn about implementing a new counting system to underpin the county’s democracy.
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Sep 24, 2024 | 
reliefweb.int | Michael Kabuni
Attachments Download Report (PDF | 1.24 MB) by Michael KabuniRecent tribal clashes in Porgera, Enga province, have claimed the lives of up to 30 people, with 17 tribes involved. Earlier in February, 49 people died in tribal warfare in Enga, following 60 deaths the previous year. These recurring conflicts, marked by brutal violence and cycles of retribution, reflect deeper, systemic issues.
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Sep 24, 2024 | 
devpolicy.org | Michael Kabuni
Recent tribal clashes in Porgera, Enga province, have claimed the lives of up to 30 people, with 17 tribes involved. Earlier in February, 49 people died in tribal warfare in Enga, following 60 deaths the previous year. These recurring conflicts, marked by brutal violence and cycles of retribution, reflect deeper, systemic issues. The February conflict was temporarily halted by a ceasefire, known as the Hilton Peace Accord, signed in Port Moresby. Violence in PNG is not limited to Enga.
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Sep 19, 2024 | 
benarnews.org | Michael Kabuni
Recent tribal clashes in Porgera, Enga province, have claimed the lives of up to 30 people, with 17 tribes involved. Earlier in February, 49 people died in tribal warfare in Enga, following 60 deaths the previous year. These recurring conflicts, marked by brutal violence and cycles of retribution, reflect deeper, systemic issues. The February conflict was temporarily halted by a ceasefire, known as the Hilton Peace Accord, signed in Port Moresby. Violence in PNG is not limited to Enga.
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Sep 12, 2024 | 
devpolicy.org | Michael Kabuni
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape successfully defeated a vote of no confidence against him on 12 September, with 75 votes in his favour and 32 against, and now parliament has adjourned. So, what comes next? And what’s really behind these votes? In this blog, I explore several what-next scenarios and try to shed some light on the political economy of votes of no confidence in PNG. First, could there be another vote of no confidence?
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Jul 5, 2024 | 
benarnews.org | Michael Kabuni
The last reliable national census for Papua New Guinea (PNG) was conducted 24 years ago, therefore the 2024 census is critical. But early signs suggest the latest attempt to count the country’s population will not be easy. It started on June 16, with a completion date set for June 30. Many provinces either started late or have yet to start. Remote areas, often without roads, face greater challenges.
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Apr 18, 2024 | 
lowyinstitute.org | Michael Kabuni
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected in Papua New Guinea this weekend to sign an agreement clearing the way for PNG’s agricultural exports to enter the Chinese market. This step has already caught international attention, particularly with the lowering of biosecurity hurdles, and follows the preferential access China offered to PNG for its seafood products in 2020.
