As we mark another EU Day 2024, it is a moment of profound reflection and celebration of the impactful developments made under the EU-funded UN-joint STREIT PNG Programme. This initiative stands as the largest grant-funded project by the European Union in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific, a beacon of developmental change and empowerment in the Sepik region.

EU-STREIT PNG Programme officially inaugurated the Yawasoro-Niewanjie Road in Wewak, Papua New Guinea, rehabilitated by ILO as part of transport infrastructure component of the Programme. This transformative project, inaugurated by high-level officials, improves accessibility for over 2,200 residents, boosting rural connectivity, economic growth, and access to markets and essential social and health services.

Under the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, the FAO and ITU conducted a key business management and online marketing workshop in Ambunti, empowering local MSMEs owners, farming groups leaders, and entrepreneurs.

In a strategic collaboration, the FAO, under the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, partners with East and West Sepik Provincial Administrations to enhance fisheries expertise, aiming to improve extension services throughout the region.

FAO and IPA organized a two-day conference on Geographical Indications (GIs), gathering stakeholders to discuss establishment up a GI framework in the country to enhance the global marketability of local products.

The EU-STREIT PNG Programme, in strategic partnership with the East Sepik Provincial Government and Administration, has showcased the critical role of women in sustainable development and economic resilience, underlining a shared dedication to gender equality and women's empowerment as vital for the region's socio-economic well-being.

The 6th Steering Committee Meeting of the EU-STREIT PNG Programme in Port Moresby showcased progress in sustainable value chains and rural development for Papua New Guinea's Sepik region. Stakeholders pledged collaboration to expand the Programme's impact.