The Bank of Papua New Guinea (BPNG) co-hosted with Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) a four-day Joint Learning Program on Inclusive Green Finance Policy Implementation, uniting policymakers and Central Bankers around the world to discuss inclusive green finance and climate resilience. The program was held in Port Moresby from Tuesday 28-31 October.
Discussions highlighted Papua New Guinea’s climate priorities, the development of the national Inclusive Green Finance Policy (IGFP), and the establishment of the Green Finance Centre
The sessions explored leveraging gender-responsive data and Digital Financial Services (DFS) to design inclusive policies. Participants examined stakeholder collaboration, biodiversity conservation, and emerging financing options such as green bonds and blended finance. The program concluded with action planning to strengthen IGF policy implementation and promote sustainable financial inclusion.
Expert insights were shared by AFI member institutions, including Nepal Rastra Bank, National Bank of Rwanda, Bangladesh Bank, State Bank of Pakistan, and the Central Bank of Seychelles. Contributions also came from local and international partners such as AFD, UNDP, UNCDF, IFC, Green Climate Fund, CCDA, and various financial institutions in PNG.
BPNG Deputy Governor Jeffery Yabom stated in his opening remarks that climate change was not a distant risk but a lived reality for everyone in the Pacific. He noted that women and vulnerable groups were often the most affected, facing barriers in accessing finance when they needed it most. He further added that the lessons from the programme would extend beyond Papua New Guinea, benefiting regulators across the Pacific and other developing economies facing similar challenges.
AFI’s Director of Strategy, Member Engagement and Evaluation, Aban Haq, commended the BPNG for its strong partnership and leadership in advancing inclusive green finance (IGF) across the AFI network.
Ms Haq highlighted that the Joint Learning Program addressed the urgent need for financial inclusion responses to climate change, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women, smallholder farmers, and rural communities. She emphasized that digital financial services play a transformative role in promoting resilience and ensuring climate adaptation efforts reach those most affected.
Assistant Governor for Financial System Development and Innovation at the BPNG, Mr George Awap, commended participants for their dedication during the four-day BPNG–AFI Joint Learning Programme on Inclusive Green Finance Policy Implementation, which concluded on Friday, 31 October.
Mr Awap said the programme had been more than a technical workshop, describing it as a convergence of shared purpose aimed at exploring how inclusive green finance could act both as a shield against the escalating threats of climate change and as a catalyst for sustainable, inclusive economic growth. He stressed that climate resilience was not merely an environmental issue but an economic and social imperative, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women, youth and rural communities.
He highlighted PNG’s progress, including the launch of the Green Finance Policy in 2023, the establishment of the Green Finance Centre in 2024, and partnerships with international organizations to align financial policy with climate goals. These initiatives, he noted, had already mobilized over two billion kina in climate-related finance.
Mr Awap emphasized the importance of collaboration, innovation and capacity building to ensure that financial inclusion reached those most in need, reaffirming BPNG’s commitment to building a resilient, low-carbon and inclusive financial ecosystem.
AFI Regional Manager for the Pacific, Mereseni Tuivuniwai, commended the BPNG for successfully hosting the four-day program.
She highlighted that the training was timely and enriched participants’ understanding of integrating environmental and climate considerations into financial inclusion frameworks.
She emphasised the importance of developing locally relevant green taxonomies, leveraging technology and data for resilient systems, and ensuring gender-responsive financial policies.
Mrs Tuivuniwai further stressed that collaboration among regulators, government, private sector, and development partners was key to building inclusive and climate-resilient financial ecosystems.
She urged participants to apply their learnings within their institutions and translate policy commitments into practical actions, reaffirming AFI’s continued support towards implementation and peer learning initiatives.
Ends.
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