A delegation of seven officials from Papua New Guinea recently visited Washington, DC, Baltimore, Maryland, and Charleston, South Carolina, as part of an economic development study tour focused on Economic Development of Coastal Cities. After Charleston, they will continue on to Wisconsin and Hawai’i before returning to Papua New Guinea. During their visit to Charleston, South Carolina, the officials focused on global engagement and cultural exchange between coastal cities, promoting government transparency and accountability, advancing port security and logistics, climate action on a municipal level, and sustainable urban development.
Meetings included discussions with Charleston Sister Cities International, Charleston City Councilman James McBride, Lt. Col, USMC Ret, and Ms. NeitaWiese , President and CEO of Charleston Sister Cities International.
In Charleson they also met with Common Cause South Carolina, Safe Ports, the South Carolina Ports Authority, the Mayor’s Office of Resilience, Sustainability, and Emergency Management, the Tri-County Human Trafficking Task Force, and The Citadel’s Near Center for Climate Studies. The tour is organized and fully funded by the U.S.
Department of State through the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). Lae city and Charleston signed an intent to partner on Sister Cities on July 26 in Papua New Guinea at a signing ceremony officiated by Hon. Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and Chair-Elect of Sister Cities Internationa.
