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Influence of Michael Somare on Papua New Guinea's First Foreign Policy

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Michael Somare, a prominent leader, played a significant role in advocating for Papua New Guinea's independence. His efforts came to fruition when the country achieved independence. However, it is worth exploring whether Somare also contributed to the formulation of the nation's first foreign policy. Additionally, this article seeks to identify other key decision-makers involved in shaping the policy of universalism, known as "Friends to all, enemies to none." According to Gedare, the policy of universalism was expressed through statements made by Somare and Albert Maori Kiki between 1973 and 1975. Although Gedare does not delve into the details of Somare's influence, he focuses on the rationale and outcomes of the policy. During the self-governing era, seminars, discussions, and debates took place among politicians, scholars, and advisers to determine PNG's future foreign policy, as mentioned by Mitna. While Maori Kiki's involvement was highlighted, S

My teaching philosophy

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My teaching philosophy is "No one has monopoly over knowledge." I came up with this teaching philosophy in 2013 based on my first-year teaching experience at Divine Word University. I realized there were many things I did not know about international relations. What I shared with students was what I learnt from reading, interacting with individuals, or group of individuals. It was purely academic or theoretical because I had no experience as a practitioner. The awareness about my limitation was highlighted in the student unit evaluations. I was cautious of not letting the students dictate how I should teach based on their preconceived views. Students were fond of the teaching staff they interacted with in class so expected everyone to display similar traits and skill sets.    I analyzed their comments and profiled my colleagues. I learnt that all of my colleagues took the teacher centered approach to teaching. I decided that to be different or to offer somethi

PNG needs China despite U.S. defense agreements

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  The expectation was for Papua New Guinea (PNG) to host both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United States (U.S.) President Joe Biden. Unfortunately, Biden cancelled his visit due to domestic political pressure. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken who successfully signed the Defen s e Cooperation Agreement and the Agreement to Counter Illicit Transnational Maritime Activity represented him.   Many in the country and other international observers are now asking about the implications of PNG ' s security cooperation with the U .S . They are concerned that this reactivated working relationship will affect PNG ' s bilateral relationship with China.   PNG was the first country in the Pacific to sign up to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2018 when Peter O ' Neill was the prime minister. A major legacy infrastructure project that is categorized under the list of BRI projects is the 5,457 - k ilo m eter Kumul Submarine Cable Network that connects 14 coas