Papua New Guinea - Strongim Gavman Program
The Strongim Gavman Program (SGP) is the Australian Government’s engagement program with Papua New Guinea (PNG). The focus of the Program is to provide capacity development assistance and strategic advice to PNG Government agencies. Under the SGP, Australian Government officials work closely with PNG Government officials to progress reform in the areas of economic and public sector governance, border management and transport safety and security, and law and justice. ‘Strongim Gavman’ is Tok Pisin for ‘strengthening government’.
The Strongim Gavman Program Law and Justice (non-policing) Sector
The Attorney-General's Department manages the law and justice (non-policing) sector component of the Strongim Gavman Program (SGP) and in doing so works closely with its whole-of-government partners, including AusAID, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Federal Police.
Under the SGP, Attorney-General’s Department officials are deployed to PNG to assist the PNG Government to strengthen the capacity of its law and justice agencies. There are currently 12 positions allocated across PNG’s law and justice (non-policing) sector, in the Department of Justice and Attorney General, the Office of the Public Prosecutor, the Correctional Services Commission, the Office of the Solicitor General and the Office of the State Solicitor.
Deployments are generally for two to three years. Vacant positions are advertised in major Australian newspapers and on the employment page of the Attorney-General’s Department website.
Further information about the Strongim Gavman Program
The Strongim Gavman Program is the successor program to the Enhanced Cooperation Program (ECP), which was agreed to by the Australian and PNG Governments in December 2003. Following a review of the ECP, the Governments of Australia and PNG agreed at the 2008 Australia‑PNG Ministerial Forum to implement the Strongim Gavman Program (SGP), which builds on the strengths of the ECP while taking a stronger capacity development focus.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has responsibility for coordination and policy development of the SGP, in collaboration with AusAID.