Papua New Guinea experienced another challenging year, with a major earthquake impacting oil and gas projects, rioting and inter-clan fighting in the highlands, and economic decline, but Prime Minister O’Neill survived, and the country raised its international profile with the hosting of the 2018 APEC summit meeting. Closer ties between Papua New Guinea and China raised some concerns in Australia, which moved to strengthen its presence in Papua New Guinea and the region.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill came under continuing pressure to step down pending resolution of corruption charges but resisted demands from university students and civil society groups and convincingly defeated a parliamentary vote of no confidence. Papua New Guinea experienced a further decline in GDP growth and faced landowner threats to shut down liquefied natural gas production.

In 2015 Papua New Guinea marked its fortieth year of independence. But while the predictions of more pessimistic commentators in 1975 have been avoided, for many Papua New Guineans celebrations were muted; despite the country’s rich resource developments, for many people there has been little change in social and economic circumstances.