Papua New Guinea at a juncture

3:22 pm on 26 June 2015

Papua New Guinea is at a juncture, experiencing unprecedented economic growth but still mired by poverty, tribalism and parlous human development outcomes.

Exxon Mobil's $US19 billion Liquefied Natural Gas project in PNG began exports last year, marking a major milestone in the country's development as a foreign investment destination and energy hub.

Yet the benefits from development of PNG's abundant natural resources - mineral, oil, forestry, fisheries and others - appear mainly confined to a tiny part of the population.

RNZI's Johnny Blades travelled to PNG and, in this video report, he asks if PNG can convert its significant resources wealth into tangible gains for its burgeoning population.