U.S. Ambassador Ann Marie Yastishock made a historic visit to Hela Province in Papua New Guinea last month, marking the first time a U.S. ambassador has visited the region. The visit was at the invitation of Prime Minister James Marape and included meetings with local government officials and U.S. companies operating in the area.
During her visit, Ambassador Yastishock met with Provincial Administrator Marago Dagoba and his team to discuss efforts in the province and its relationship with the United States. She also visited Tari Hospital, where she engaged with Provincial Health Director Dr. James Kintwa and hospital staff about the challenges they face due to tribal fighting and their support for the Healthy Islands Concept.
“I am impressed with the efforts the Hela Provincial Government is making given the province’s constrained resources,” stated Ambassador Yastishock. “I learned a lot on my first visit to Hela and hope to visit again in the future.”
The ambassador also toured PNG LNG's Hides Gas Conditioning Plant, meeting with ExxonMobil staff, and visiting community organizations supported by ExxonMobil. Exxon Mobil stands as a significant foreign contributor to PNG LNG, which is noted as Papua New Guinea's largest foreign investment.
At Hela’s Education Office, discussions centered around investments in Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) and Flexible Open Distance Education (FODE). Ambassador Yastishock mentioned potential collaborations between Hela Province and U.S. companies like Brittanica and PowerSchool to enhance educational services.
The delegation posed for photos at ExxonMobil's Hides Gas Conditioning Plant during their visit.