The fifth meeting of the Joint Panguna Negotiation and Coordination Committee (JPNCC) was held in Port Moresby on Wednesday 18 September.
The JPNCC was established in March and consists of representatives from the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), the United Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association (UPMALA), the Government of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL).
BCL sees the JPNCC as an important step forward in the potential resumption of mining at Panguna
The JPNCC is a good platform to facilitate robust and transparent discussion between the two governments, the landowners around Panguna and BCL. Senior representatives from each organisation attend the JPNCC meetings, which are held every six weeks and rotate between Buka and Port Moresby
The JPNCC oversees pre-negotiation activities relating to the potential redevelopment of Panguna including environmental, social and economic baseline studies, including public health, social mapping studies and the Belkol process.
BCL regards redevelopment of the Panguna mine is a challenging project that requires the full support and approval of the representatives of the people of Bougainville and the traditional landowners
One of the most important items on the agenda at the JPNCC concerns the timing and nature of customary process of Belkol, where all sides express regret for the past and agree on a shared desire to move forward.
BCL is confident that, once these processes are completed, formal negotiations can begin and the guidance and strong relationships formed through the JPNCC will be crucial.