Papua New Guinea (PNG) will open an embassy in Jerusalem next week during a visit by Prime Minister James Marape, according to a spokesperson for his office.
“Yes, that is correct,” the spokesperson told the Reuters news agency on Monday when asked whether the country was set to open the embassy and if Marape planned to visit Israel next week.
Papua New Guinea established diplomatic ties with Israel in 1978 and currently maintains a consulate near Tel Aviv, while Israel handles its relations with PNG through its embassy in Australia.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in February that PNG would open its first embassy in the country sometime in 2023.
Citing unnamed sources, Israel’s Channel 14 earlier reported the inauguration of the embassy would take place on September 5. The Times of Israel cited an unnamed Israeli official saying the “details are not mistaken”.
