Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape, buoyed by the recent visit of Pope Francis, says he will defeat a no-confidence vote on Thursday brought by a former protégé determined to topple his administration.
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This vote, initiated by former finance minister Rainbo Paita – who Marape sacked in May for defecting to the opposition – marks the fifth challenge to his leadership over a nation rich in gold, copper and gas reserves but plagued by clan violence, corruption and political instability, and the subject of a tug of war between Western powers, led by nearby Australia, and China.
The latest attempt to unseat Marape follows a tumultuous period that included a devastating landslide in Enga province, where thousands are believed to have died, as well as deadly riots just four months earlier.
The prime minister, who has cast himself as the democratic leader of a “Black Christian Nation”, enjoyed a rare moment of respite this week as Pope Francis made his first visit to the Christian-majority country.
Jubilant crowds listened to the Catholic leader deliver a message calling for an end to the “spiral of violence” that has gripped the Pacific’s most populous island nation.