Papua New Guinea has inducted 24 new citizens.
According to the Post Courier, most of them are described as elite businessmen who have lived in PNG for decades and now have families in the country.
Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades
Among them are ten from China, two people from Nigeria, four from Bangladesh, two from Malaysia, and one from Sierra Leone, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Taiwan, Britain and the Philippines.
The group officially relinquished their former nationalities and pledged loyalty to their new country in a formal ceremony in Port Moresby.
PNG's Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato presented them with their citizenship papers, congratulating them on their commitment to the country.
He noted that the new citizens were all able to communicate in TokPisin and other local languages, and had also integrated comfortably into local communities.
Mr Pato said the awarding of citizenship for this group was in line with the government's Vision 2050, encouraging foreign investment in PNG and that some of them have contributed immensely to PNG through their professional careers.
