Our Development Forums

The CIMC forums enable people from cross sections of society to discuss, express and recommend to government, the desired approaches and aspirations and in doing so guide the National Government to deliver or provide solutions to issues. The process structure of the CIMC and the mandate which requires it to perform certain high level functions such as the hosting of the public or development forums, CIMC with the help of government, businesses, civil society organisations, development partners and general citizens of Papua New Guinea, conducts:

  • 4 Regional Forums (Highlands, Southern, Mamose and New Guinea Islands);

  • 1 annual national development forum;

  • 1 annual State and Civil Society Rountable Discussions, and in 2023 and for the firs time;

  • Conducted the District Development Forum with Wau Waria District in Bulolo, Morobe Province

National Development Forums.

The CIMC’s participatory approach towards public policies and decision making involves multi-stakeholder public dialogue through its annual trademark activity, the National Development Forums.

NDF is also a unique mechanism and presents an opportunity which is threefold:

i)              High level presentations and participation from all levels of government- national members of parliament, heads of departments and agencies, provincial administrators and officers, representatives from local level governments

ii)            Cross-sectoral attendance to the forum- from central agencies, economic and social sections, the private sector, and CSOs and ordinary citizens

iii)           Group Discussions

The recent national development forum on law and order was held early in April this year. The forums sought wider views from the regions to find meaningful approaches that can be applied to address the growing law and order issues in the country

Regional Development Forums.

Every year the CIMC conducts the Regional Development Forums. Four regional development forums are conducted each year for Highlands, Southern, Mamose and New Guinea Islands regions.

This is the final Regional Development Forum as we have already conducted the Highlands Region in Mt. Hagen, Western Highlands Province, Mamose in Vanimo, West Sepik Province and New Guinea Islands in Kavieng, New Ireland Province

District Development Forums.

The district development forums are supposed to be held each year as long as funding is made avaialable by provincial MPs or leaders through the District development funds. The purpose of this dialogue is to assist districts with their district development plans.

In 2023 and for the first time ever, the CIMC successfully collaborated the Wau Waria district in Morobe through a signing of the Memorandum of Understanding and the launching of the district’s 5 -year plan.

Annual State & Civil Society Roundtable Discussion

The CIMC through its National Civil Society Coordination Desk conducts the annual State-and- Civil-Society Roundtable Dicussion. This particular dialogue is held after the National Development Forum as a culminating “CSO only’ event for whole of CSO voice on strategic national issues.

The CIMC process involves four Regional Development Forums held in province, and one National Development Forum held each year in Port Moresby. The CIMC also runs a number of sectoral committees and working groups on selected topics or sectors, which make recommendations through the National Development Forum. NDF therefore pulls together advice, findings and recommendations from a wide section of Papua New Guinea society.

In a National Development Forum 2007 aimed to promote budget literacy, what happens during budget spending and monitoring process while highlighting transparency, accountability and equity, NCD Governor Powes Parkop commented:

“I find the CIMC a very unique home grown ‘melanesian’ process of soliciting views from all sectors of the community. I will personally support the CIMC to push for the government to adopt some of the recommendations you have identified in this forum. I feel the government to adopt some of the consultation to be a hallmark of democracy in the country. To this end I will support any efforts to get Parliament to get this to happen.”

Over the years the CIMC has not only facilitated the process dialogue but has been providing platform of an inclusive voice, amplifying CSOs, public, private sector in identifying gaps, reviewing policies, laws and systems and making recommendations for improvement.

Government’s Commitment towards CIMC

Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Honorable James Marape when officially opening the CIMC National Development Forum on 2nd of April, 2025 made a commitment to support CIMC to get the kind of assistance it needs. Noting the importance of CIMC during his keynote address Hon Marape pushed for the re-inauguration of CIMC as legal body to be included in the recommendations.

Prime Minister began his remarks by first honouring CIMC’s tireless work since 1998 in creating a space for meaningful public discourse.

Said Prime Minister: “I want to place on record my deep appreciation to the CIMC for your consistence work since 1998. you represent the voice of all cross-sections of society-government, private sector, churches, and civil society - that voice is worth hearing”

To access electronic copies of some of the proceeding reports from CIMC Development Forums click on this link

https://inapng.com/development-forums/