A high-level Project Stakeholder Briefing convened on Sunday, 7 June 2026 to chart the strategic development of the Vanimo Free Trade Zone (FTZ), bringing together senior Papua New Guinea government ministers, key project principals and private stakeholders to solidify the project's pathway to formal government approval.
During the proceedings, Mr Amin Rahman, Chairman of Bismillah Holdings Limited, officially confirmed the company's role as the designated Anchor Investor for the Vanimo FTZ project.
Financial Commitments on Record
The meeting placed on record that Bismillah Holdings Limited has already demonstrated a tangible financial commitment to the initiative. The firm has financed the project's foundational IT infrastructure — including website domain registration, web hosting services, and preparation of the Terms of Reference (ToR) for a feasibility study undertaken by FTI Consultancy.
Crucially, Bismillah Holdings formally committed to injecting further substantial capital into the Vanimo FTZ project. That significant deployment of funds remains conditional upon receiving proper and formal approval from the relevant Papua New Guinea Government authorities. Stakeholders acknowledged the company's readiness to proceed with major funding upon government endorsement.
Bismillah Holdings stands ready to deploy major capital the moment the project secures formal endorsement from PNG Government authorities. — Stakeholder briefing record, 7 June 2026
Ministers Back Fast-Track Approval
The briefing was opened by Hon. Belden Norman Namah, MP — Champion of the Vanimo Free Trade Zone, Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture and Member for Vanimo-Green. Minister Namah emphasised the strategic importance of the FTZ, highlighting its potential to catalyse economic growth, generate local employment and attract vital foreign direct investment to Sandaun Province and the wider nation.
Hon. Richard Maru MP, Minister for International Trade and Investment, engaged substantively with the project's presentation, directing the team to articulate the strategic justification for the FTZ boldly and clearly so that all National Executive Council (NEC) queries would be comprehensively addressed.
Following the review of the project's merits and Bismillah Holdings' investment pledges, Minister Maru gave formal assurance that he would actively support the approval process, committing to facilitate and expedite the project through relevant government channels to achieve immediate approval — an outcome received highly positively by all attendees.
The meeting concluded with a shared resolve among all parties to rapidly advance the Vanimo Free Trade Zone toward formal approval and subsequent implementation.
