Stakeholder Dialogue

We are regularly visiting the communities of the PAoI, extensive and ongoing stakeholder dialogue is a key aspect of the Papua LNG project, explaining consent and upcoming operational and community development activities, to maintain long-term relationships with the communities in the PAoI.

Comprising of a team of 15 Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) with their back-to-back positions, CLOs actively listened to the concerns and expectations of the PAoI communities, supported by a network of 30 Village Liaison Officers (VLOs). A toll-free line (7011 1777), allows local communities to contact the Project team for any questions they may have or want to ask and any concerns they may seek to raise.

The Project applies the principle of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for its activities such as defined in IFC Performance standard 7 on Indigenous Peoples.

The Project aims to positively impact the villages within the PAoI, whether through enhancing communication or investing in infrastructural support.

Ongoing consultations between the Project’s Community Development, Community Relations team and the VLO teams, highlighted the need to increase and improve lines of communication between the Project and the community.

Kaevaria village was the first of six villages along the Purari to have their community VLO radio system deployed. All radio systems are powered by solar panels and fitted with in-built USB ports, for charging devices. Beneficiaries close to 2,000 people, radios were also deployed in Apiope, Aumu, Aivai, Evara and Poroi 2.

The radios complement the installation of the Digicel 4G mobile network and is a much needed and welcome contribution to the village, ensuring effective communication channels between the Upstream Logistics site and the community.

The Project receives and addresses grievances through phone calls, emails, letters and in person through a grievance mechanism system. A total of 40 grievances have been successfully closed in 2024.

Maintained by a network of CLOs and VLOs, the Project’s community grievance mechanism system is constantly monitored and evaluated for effective use. As a result, the time to resolve a grievance took on average 18 days this year.

The grievance mechanism was updated at the end of 2023 and explained to the local community in 2024 through awareness sessions.

With the Purari river being the main source of transportation for people living along the waterway, bearing in mind the impact to personal safety and livelihood, guidance brochures were prepared for engagements with communities, to reinforce safety messages for use of the waterways.

The brochure covers what community members can do if they encounter a ship or barge on the waterway and are encouraged to call the toll-free line or address their concerns in person, in a letter or via email.

Marine Safety awareness brochure

Established in 2016, the Gulf Provincial Working Group (GPWG) is a collaborative forum bringing together representatives from various sectors of the Gulf Provincial Administration (GPA) and Local Level Government.

In 2024, the Eighth and Ninth GPWG meetings were held in Kerema on February 7 and November 27, respectively. The meeting was an opportunity for representatives from the Gulf Provincial Administration (GPA) to meet and discuss stakeholder engagement activities, community investment programs and the status of other projects that are currently underway or forthcoming, from Project representatives.

The Lida Kibung is part of the Stakeholder Engagement initiatives for TotalEnergies PNG, to formally engage with its closest neighbours on the ground, on a quarterly basis.

Community leaders representing all PRL-15 communities, women, clans, youth, churches and ward representatives are all engaged in frank and positive discussions during the Lida Kibung.

These meetings are an opportunity for the communities to express their concerns to the Papua LNG representatives about the Project, the upcoming social and environmental related surveys as well as their expectations regarding topics such as access to education and health.

This bottom-up approach provides an avenue for all groups to be represented, including women.

Each Lida Kibung is held at a different venue on a rotational basis. In 2024, there were two Lida Kibungs held in April and September, in Kaevaria and Kavava respectively.

• The Eighth Lida Kibung held in Kaevaria village on April 10, was well attended by over 50 community representatives of the PRL15 block villages, where they received Project updates, the latest on Community Development initiatives and scholarship programs.
• The Ninth Lida Kibung was held for the first time in the Southern Segment village of Kavava on September 4 and saw a record of 132 participants in attendance from the PRL15 block, Pipeline Export Route and Water way villages.