CONTENTS

• PNG CHRISTIAN LEADERS Media Conference on HIV, October 2025 [web story]

• PNG CHRISTIAN LEADERS HIV Orientation Workshop, May 2026 [web story]

PNG CHRISTIAN LEADERS MEDIA CONFERENCE ON HIV, October 2025

Prime Minister James Marape’s Remarks
29 October 2025, Grand Papua Hotel

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Thank you, Cardinal John Ribat, for your leadership, and thank you to the Christian churches for coming together in this worthy advocacy — standing united in our defense against the scourge of HIV in our country.

I also want to acknowledge all our partners who are here today — UNAIDS, DFAT, and the National AIDS Council. Congratulations as well to one of our longest-serving public servants, Mr. Wep Kanawi. Thank you for your tireless service and commitment. This work is not about privilege or comfort; it is, in many ways, a voluntary calling — a labor of love for our people and our nation.

I recognize that this crisis remains a growing concern for our society. It devastates lives — often of innocent victims, mostly women and children. This is why all of us must work together in partnership — government, churches, and development partners — to stand as one in addressing the spread of HIV.

I commend our Christian leaders, HIV advocates, and the Christian Leaders HIV Strategy 2026–2030. My government offers its full support for faith-based approaches, recognizing the vital presence and reach of churches across Papua New Guinea.

Churches are an essential and central partner of government. In every village across our nation, there is a Christian church — interdenominational, ever present — serving humanity. You are not only priests; you are also healers, educators, caregivers, and community builders. You lead welfare, health, and educational ministries that reach people no government agency can easily reach.

It is therefore right and proper that government supports you in this important work. Through our Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Council, my government will continue to work closely with faith-based organizations in full partnership.

I also extend my sincere thanks to the United Nations for your strong partnership with us. I stand ready to be guided by your technical advice and experience, and I look forward to continued collaboration between the Christian Leaders Alliance and our international partners to ensure that every effort to fight HIV moves forward with strength and purpose.

I hope that the outcomes of this forum, however modest they may seem, will make a meaningful impact. This advocacy is vital — because HIV knows no boundaries. It affects all walks of life.

Our government remains committed to providing care for those affected and to supporting advocacy and awareness to stop the spread of HIV.

I am encouraged to see the unity of civil society, communities, churches, and businesses — all showing compassion and concern for our people. Yet we must continue to confront the stigma that isolates and marginalizes people living with HIV.

Our national census shows that Papua New Guinea’s population now stands at around ten million, with more than half — about 5.6 million — under the age of seventeen. This means our young people are especially vulnerable, and we must protect them through education, faith, and responsible action.

So I close by once again thanking our Christian leaders, networks, and partners for amplifying this message of hope, responsibility, and unity. Together, we can overcome this challenge and safeguard the future of our people.

Thank you very much.

Quotes from the Prime Minister

1. On the national concern: “I recognize that this crisis remains a growing concern for our society. It devastates lives — often of innocent victims, mostly women and children.”

2. On partnership with the Church and United Nations: “I extend my sincere thanks to the United Nations, particularly UNAIDS, for your strong partnership with us. I stand ready to be guided by your advice and collaboration.”

3. On the Church’s presence and ministries: “In every village across our nation, there is a Christian church — ever present, serving humanity through healing, education, and care.”

4. On government support and collaboration: “It is right and proper that government supports the churches, because you reach people in ways no government agency can.”

5. On his request for advice and unity: “I stand to be advised, and I look forward to working together so that every effort to fight HIV moves forward with strength and purpose.”

“One Voice, No Action, Nothing Gets Done”:

Wep Kanawi Calls Churches to Move Together on HIV
PNG CHRISTIAN LEADERS HIV Orientation Workshop, May 2026

Mr. Wep Kanawi, Chair, National AIDS Council
20 May 20265, Catholic Archdiocese

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

At the PNG Christian Leaders Alliance workshop on HIV response, Mr Wep Kanawi, Chair of the National AIDS Council, called for churches and national partners to move from concern to coordinated action. His remarks focused on rebuilding counselling capacity, formalising partnerships with churches, mobilising volunteers, and using the reach of faith networks to support communities affected by HIV.

A call to rebuild counselling capacity

Mr Kanawi reminded participants that Papua New Guinea once had a stronger counselling base for HIV services. More than 300 counsellors had previously been trained with support from experts, but much of that capacity has weakened over time. He said the country should not treat counselling as a new idea, but as a proven part of the response that must be restored.

“The answer is: we must do it again.”

“We must train more counsellors.”

“We can develop a proposal and seek funding to train up to 1,000 counsellors.”

He proposed that suitable people be identified and supported through a structured training programme. This could include social assistance funding and collaboration with institutions able to support a national volunteer and counselling effort.

Restoring provincial structures and volunteer support

Mr Kanawi also spoke about the need to rebuild provincial support systems for HIV. He noted that HIV workers and counsellors had previously been present in the provinces, where they visited facilities, trained staff, and supported people seeking testing and care.

“We had people who were trained out there in every province.”

He said the Council is considering how provincial AIDS structures can be reconnected to the appropriate national arrangements, including discussions with the Department of Personnel Management. He also raised the possibility of having at least 15 volunteers in each province to support HIV-related work.

Learning from community-led testing

In his closing reflections, Mr Kanawi commended the KPAC team for showing participants how HIV testing is conducted. He said the demonstration helped leaders move from abstract discussion to practical understanding.

“Instead of only talking about HIV testing, they showed us how it is done.”

“Many of us have never actually seen how a test is done or been tested ourselves.”

Partnerships with churches

Mr Kanawi encouraged churches and faith-based organisations that want to support HIV programmes to consider formal partnership arrangements. He noted that the Council had already started this approach with the SDA church and that similar templates could be used with other churches.

“If you want to do programmes like this, and if you feel it is workable to do so through a memorandum of understanding, come and talk to us.”

Reaching communities through faith networks

A major concern in his remarks was the need to bring more church networks into the response, especially those with strong influence across communities. He said churches hold the trust, attention and confidence of a large share of the population, and without them the response may fail to reach many people.

“If they do not come on board, we will not have an effective way or conduit to reach those communities.”

From one voice to action

Mr Kanawi closed with a direct call for unity, costing, and government engagement. He urged partners to identify what they can do together, attach a realistic cost to it, and present it to government as a serious contribution to the national HIV response.

“One voice, with no action, means nothing gets done.”

“Many voices together can get things done.”

“Let us put our heads together.”

“Let us calculate the value and cost of what we are doing together, put a price tag on it, and ask the government for support. We can do it.”

Why this matters

The workshop showed that churches are not starting from zero. They already have trusted leaders, health services, local networks, and community presence. Mr Kanawi’s message was that these assets must now be organised into a practical response: trained counsellors, volunteers, formal partnerships, outreach, testing, treatment linkage, and resource mobilisation.