Sydney (Australia), Dec 12 (EFE) .- Australia announced Thursday that he will invite a Papua New Guinea team to the Australian Rugby League competition in 2028 with a millionaire financial help, which is part of his efforts for Strengthen its presence in the Pacific, where Chinese influence increases.
“It’s not just about what happens during the 80 minutes of play in the NRL field (National Rugby League), but about a whole relationship to boost Papua New Guinea,” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today , in a press conference in Sydney with his counterpart Papu, James Marape.
The agreement between the two governments and the Australian Commission of the Rugby League (ARLC, acronym in English) will allow the papuans to be the eighth or tenth ninth team of the NRL based on what happens with other candidates of this franchise before 2028.
The Australian government promised to give Papua New Guinea about 384 million dollars (365.5 million euros) in the next ten years to finance the franchise, the Associations of the Rugby League throughout the Pacific, among other matters, As reported by the Australian public chain ABC.
Both leaders also emphasized today that the entrance of a Papua New Guinea team in the NRL will contribute important economic benefits to both countries through investment in new infrastructure and the impulse of the sports and tourist sectors of Papua New Guinea and Australia.
“For us it is not only about sport and sports trade, but a deep strategy of national unity. Unite the most diverse nation about the face of the earth and also unite Papua New Guinea (Y) Australia in the way that the most It matters, from town to town, “Marape said.
Likewise, the Australian Executive will also collaborate for the creation of a rugby association in the Pacific so that girls, boys, women and men play this sport from base levels to Professional in Papua New Guinea, Fiyi, Samoa and Tonga.
This association will use the Rugby League to help increase school retention, promote positive health and nutrition, foster gender equality and promote youth leadership, the statement added.
This “historical agreement” is part of the efforts of the Executive of Camberra for strengthening its presence in the strategic Pacific region, where the United States and its allies look suspiciously the growing influence of China. EFE
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