The Asia-Pacific leaders summit has ended in Papua New Guinea with a flurry of aid and development announcements.
Among them, Australia, the United States, Japan and New Zealand have agreed to a US$1.16 billion project to bring electricity to nearly three quarters of PNG's population.
New Zealand is contributing another US$7 million grant for immunisation campaigns in PNG, where polio has re-emerged.
While in PNG, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern cut the ribbon to open a fresh produce market in Port Morseby which was rebuilt with US$4 million of New Zealand aid.
PNG's foreign minister Rimbink Pato told RNZ's business editor Gyles Beckford at the opening of the market that the increased interest of Western nations in the region was welcome.
But he doesn't want to suggest there's a bidding war under way to counter Chinese activity in the region.
Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill displays a document for electricity projects signed by Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, US Vice President Mike Pence and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Photo: AFP
