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Senior judges in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have gathered at the Hilton Hotel in Port Moresby this week for a landmark Judicial Colloquium on International and Domestic Arbitration, hosted by the PNG Centre for Judicial Excellence with support from the Government of Australia through the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB’s) Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI).

The two-day colloquium provided a platform for members of the judiciary to discuss the recently passed Arbitration (International) Act 2024 and the Arbitration (Domestic) Act 2024, and to deepen their understanding of how these laws can be practically applied to resolve commercial disputes in Papua New Guinea. Developed with the support of the ADB Office of the General Counsel and PSDI, the new legislation modernizes PNG’s dispute resolution framework, aligning it with globally recognized standards and establishing a clear pathway for arbitration in both domestic and cross-border commercial disputes.

The colloquium was opened by ADB Country Director Said Zaidansyah and Minister-Counsellor Penny Morton from the Australian High Commission Papua New Guinea, followed by a welcome from Chief Justice Chief Sir Gibuma Gibbs Salika GCL KBE CSM OBE and Deputy Chief Justice Ambeng Kandakasi CBE of the PNG Centre for Judicial Excellence.

“This colloquium provides an important opportunity for judges to deepen their understanding of the new arbitration legislation and how these new laws will operate in practice,” said Chief Justice Chief Sir Gibuma Gibbs Salika. “Our courts play a critical role in ensuring arbitration is fair, efficient, and trusted, and this dialogue will help lay the foundation for consistent, high-quality implementation.”

“This colloquium is an important milestone for putting Papua New Guinea’s new arbitration legislation into practice,” said ADB Country Director Said Zaidansyah. “ADB was proud to support the development of these modern laws, which will enhance investor confidence and help attract genuine foreign investment and trade, and we remain committed to supporting their successful implementation.”

“The new arbitration laws provide clear and predictable mechanisms for resolving commercial disputes, which is essential for building business confidence,” said Minister-Counsellor Penny Morton of the Australian High Commission Papua New Guinea. “Australia is proud to support this important dialogue and to continue working with Papua New Guinea as it brings these reforms into operation.”

The colloquium features expert-led sessions on key distinctions between international and domestic arbitration, the New York Convention, the role of courts in arbitration, and practical implementation challenges and opportunities under the new legislation.

The passage of the arbitration acts was the culmination of a 6-year partnership between the Asian Development Bank, the Papua New Guinea Supreme Court & National Courts of Justice, and PSDI. The colloquium forms part of broader efforts to enhance legal frameworks in Papua New Guinea and position the country as an attractive destination for investment.

PSDI is an Asian Development Bank (ADB) technical assistance program undertaken in partnership with the governments of Australia and New Zealand. It supports ADB’s 14 Pacific developing member countries to improve the enabling environment for business and achieve inclusive, private sector-led economic growth.

Participants in Papua New Guinea’s first judicial colloquium on domestic and international arbitration.

Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika KBE speaks at Papua New Guinea’s first judicial colloquium on domestic and international arbitration.

Asian Development Bank Papua New Guinea Country Director Said Zaidansyah speaks at Papua New Guinea’s first judicial colloquium on domestic and international arbitration.

Minister-Counsellor Penny Morton of the Australian High Commission Papua New Guinea speaks at Papua New Guinea’s first judicial colloquium on domestic and international arbitration.

Participants in Papua New Guinea’s first judicial colloquium on domestic and international arbitration.