Prevention Strategy on Building Peace and Boosting Resilience in Papua New Guinea (2025 – 2030)

The policy establishes a national strategic framework to address the underlying drivers of violence and conflict. The primary objective of the Strategy is to create a comprehensive roadmap for peacebuilding and resilience by aligning national efforts with PNG Vision 2050 and the Medium-Term Development Plan IV (MTDP IV). It aims to mitigate security risks and social instability to ensure a conducive environment for sustainable socio-economic development. The instrument focuses on shifting from reactive measures toward proactive prevention through inclusive governance, the rule of law, and the strengthening of community and state institutional capacities.
The Strategy identifies specific drivers of conflict, including customary land disputes, gender-based violence (GBV), corruption, and economic exclusion, particularly among the youth. To address these, the text outlines eleven pillars of intervention, including the promotion of rural development and agricultural opportunities as economic alternatives in conflict-prone areas such as the Highlands. The scope of the Strategy covers the entire national territory, emphasizing the integration of traditional and customary dispute resolution mechanisms alongside the formal justice system. Key policy measures include the protection of human rights, the enhancement of internal trade stability, and the implementation of land tenure reforms to reduce tribal and communal violence related to resource ownership.
The Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council (PM&NEC) is the lead authoritative body responsible for the overall coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of the Strategy. Procedurally, the NPS mandates the establishment of a Prevention Working Group and a dedicated Secretariat to oversee the implementation of high-level milestones and indicators. The Strategy outlines operational requirements for annual reviews, public participation of civil society and faith-based organizations, and the development of a communication action plan to promote non-violent conflict resolution. It also emphasizes international cooperation with development partners for resource mobilization and capacity building to ensure the achievement of the strategic goals by 2030.