New Zealand's new high commissioner to Papua New Guinea

By MALUM NALU

 

New Zealand has a new high commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Marion Crawshaw (pictured), who presented her letter of introduction to Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare last week.

She takes over from Niels Holm, who left officially on May 27 after three years in PNG, to take up a new post as official secretary to Government House.

“New Zealand and Papua New Guinea are close friends and I’m delighted to be representing New Zealand here at a time when exciting opportunities are being realised, “Ms Crawshaw said.

She has a background in the areas of trade and economic development and security policy.

 “During my time here I’ll be keen to encourage more business engagement from New Zealand companies in Papua New Guinea,” Ms Cranshaw said.

“There are good opportunities here which are not being realised.

“I’m also going to be taking a close interest in our aid programme and the ways in which it is aligned to Papua New Guinea’s development strategies.

“Economic development and social development go hand in hand.”

Ms Crawshaw is a career diplomat who has previously been posted as deputy high commissioner to the Solomon Islands, deputy representative to the OECD in Paris, as well as to Suva and Rome. 

She was seconded to New Zealand police as national manager policy, where she established New Zealand police’s policy group. 

Most recently Ms Crawshaw was the director of the knowledge services division of the ministry of foreign affairs and trade, developing a programme of knowledge management projects for the ministry.

Ms Crawshaw’s personal interests include collecting New Zealand and Pacific art, gardening and handcrafts.

“I already have a few pieces of PNG art and handcrafts from previous visits here and I’m looking forward to adding to that,” she said.

“I’m also aware of the rich variety of plants from Papua New Guinea and will be adding to previous high commissioners’ plantings at the high commissioner’s residence.”