Fiji's Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama completed his first state visit to Papua New Guinea today.

He heads to New York next to chair a series of meetings on the G77+China Group.

Upon leaving the Jackson International Airport in Port Moresby this afternoon, Bainimarama was accorded a full military guard of honour and a gun salute.

Expressing his appreciation to both Fiji and PNG officials who facilitated the visit, Bainimarama said the future of the Fiji-PNG relations remains solid and promising.

With his PNG counterpart, Peter O’Neill, Bainimarama announced annual bilateral trade talks, relaxed visa processing and Vodafone Fiji's entry into PNG's growing mobile phone market through mobile provider BeMobile.

The PNG leader also pledged a grant of a little over FJD $40 million towards Fiji's preparation for 2014 elections.

In a meeting with Fiji Foreign Minister Ratu Jone Kubuabola and other Fijian officials, Bainimarama proposed the establishment of a Fiji Trade Mission office in PNG to boost Fiji's economic presence in the growing Melanesian economy.

FijiLive