Papua New Guinea's foreign Minister, Sam Abal, says his country is keen to eventually live free of foreign aid from Australia and other nations.
Speaking after the Australia-PNG Ministerial Forum 2009 in Brisbane yesterday, Mr Abal says PNG needed to make its own way in the world.
He says the country must not get into a long term aid-dependent syndrome.
Mr Abal says the current Government of Sir Michael Somare feels it's time for the country to think about sustaining itself and not depending so much on aid.
He says this is not because PNG is ungrateful, or that foreign aid will suddenly end but that the nation has to take control of its destiny.
