Papua New Guinea was well prepared for the 2008 financial crisis, as it had reduced its debt and had some room to manoeuvre. The country’s obligations dropped from around 70% of GDP in the early 2000s to about 20% a decade later. This, in part, explains why the crisis was so short lived, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). However,...
Despite some weak headline numbers, Papua New Guinea’s economy is set to see a recovery in 2017. Depreciation of the kina and the shortage of US dollars have slowed imports and led to pockets of strength. Robust activity at the small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) level and in the informal sector is being observed, while key statistics,...
To date, Papua New Guinea has dealt with its economic challenges relatively defensively. It has instituted deep spending cuts to get the budget balanced, maintaining or increasing outlays only where vitally necessary. While the results have been impressive in terms of absolute numbers, the response is conventional. PNG has remained...
Getting the books to balance will be a significant challenge for Papua New Guinea going forward. Although the country has made some deep cuts in expenditures, it will be years before the government takes in as much as it needs to operate. The authorities have few options in the short term other than carefully balancing interests. As it works...
By most measures Papua New Guinea is under-banked. Branch density is low and has not risen in at least a decade, while the loan-to-GDP ratio is 31%, well below that reported by neighbours and peers. The Philippines is at 41%, Solomon Islands 38%, Thailand 151%, Vietnam 111% and Indonesia 39%. It is estimated that only 20% of people in PNG have...
The importance of technology in the banking sector has long been recognised in Papua New Guinea. Both the regulators and the institutions understand that advanced systems, networks and devices can help promote growth and stability. Their adoption is also seen as instrumental in improving inclusiveness. Laws and regulations have been written to...
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