A new mining law in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville ensures that landowners have will own the resources on their land.
The Bougainville Transitional Mining bill became law on Friday and formalises the province's control of its own resources as laid out in the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
The President of Bougainville, John Momis Photo: RNZI
It means that national PNG mining law no longer applies, meaning the Bougainville Copper Agreement under which Bougainville Copper ran the Panguna mine for 20 years before the civil war has been eliminated.
President John Momis says it is an historic development ensuring protection for both landowners and the mining companies they reach agreement with.
"We have now legally given the landowners the right of ownership and I think this is the first time anywhere in the world where a government legally gives the ownership to the landowners."
The President of Bougainville, John Momis.
