James Marape won the landslide backing of members of parliament and took over as the new prime minister of Papua New Guinea after weeks of political manoeuvring that saw former PM Peter O'Neill resign. Marape is a former finance minister who stepped down in protest against the massive ExxonMobil and Total gas project.
"Honourable members, I now declare that the member for Tari Pori James Marape has been elected as prime minister-elect of the independent state of Papua New Guinea," said parliament speaker Job Pomat, announcing Marape's 101-8 victory.
After begin sworn-in, he said would be part of the Pangu Party, which would lead a coalition that included the People’s National Congress, the party of former Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill.
In a Facebook post early on Thursday Marape vowed to make Papua New Guinea "the 'richest black Christian nation' on earth" and to put the "national interest ahead of personal and corporate interest." His election to power will spell continuity in many fields, but it could bring changes to energy policy and relations with neighbouring Australia.
Papua New Guinea, one of Asia's poorest nations, is rich in natural resources, including large gas fields. The ExxonMobil and Total Papua LNG project, signed in April, would almost double Papua New Guinea's gas exports. Marape, who hails from the energy-rich Hela province, expressed that he did not think that money would go to local firms. He has indicated that he would like to redistribute the spoils of the contract.
Marape has also been critical of "corrupt contracts" with Australia to settle asylum seekers on tropical island camps and demanded an investigation.
"Since we put our hands up to assist Australia in 2013 ... we sacrificed Manus' reputation as one of the world's safest tropical islands" he was quoted as saying in February.
Energy analysts have warned that any delay to the LNG project could make it less attractive, with similar projects in Africa and Latin America competing to meet the same projected market shortfall in the mid-2020s.