Papua New Guinea's Trade Minister says his country wants to play a more active role in the Pacific region.
PNG's Prime Minister, Peter O'Neill only attended this year's Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Summit for a day.
But the minister, Charles Abel, says that's not an indication his country isn't interested in the Forum, but of unusual circumstances in domestic politics.
"The prime minister made every effort to come immediately after parliament to come. We had our Foreign Affairs Minister representing. It is very, very important to us, and we understand the importance the role Papua New Guinea plays in this region, being the biggest economy and the biggest country and so on, and we very much want to raise our profile and to take on the responsibility of that role."
Papua New Guinea's Trade Minister, Charles Abel.
