Bougainville Leader Warns PNG of Risks if JSB Resolutions Not Honoured
The Papua New Guinea Government has been urged to act on long-standing Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) commitments, including the release of millions of kina held in trust for Bougainville.
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| Bougainville Leader Warns PNG of Risks if JSB Resolutions Not Honoured |
Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) President Ishmael Toroama issued the warning as he opened the JSB meeting in Port Moresby yesterday, saying delays in honouring resolutions posed serious consequences for the region.
Toroama cautioned that continued inaction could even affect Bougainville’s participation in the 2027 National General Elections, stressing that both governments were beginning to treat JSB decisions as if they carried little weight.
He reminded the meeting that the JSB has been a central pillar of the Bougainville Peace Process for nearly 24 years and should not be undermined by inconsistent implementation.
The ABG is currently before the courts over the National Government’s withholding of K125 million allocated for Bougainville’s budget. Toroama said the money must be released to clear outstanding Restoration and Development Grant arrears, as agreed in the JSB Resolution of May 8, 2024. He also questioned Prime Minister James Marape’s silence regarding the matter.
Toroama further urged the national leadership to reaffirm the legality and authority of JSB decisions, warning again that failure to do so may have “likely implications” for the 2027 polls.
Prime Minister Marape, responding at the meeting, said his restraint on the funding issue was due to the ongoing court process. However, he assured the ABG that commitments made by the National Government would be honoured once legal processes are concluded.
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