Our Minister

Honourable Kessy Sawang, MP was elected to Papua New Guinea’s 11th National Parliament in 2022 as the Member for Rai Coast District, Madang Province. She served as Vice Minister for International Trade & Investment before her appointment as Minister for Labour & Employment in the Marape-Rosso Government in July, 2023.

A former senior civil servant, she played a pivotal role in tax policy and administration, and Customs border security, holding leadership positions at the Internal Revenue Commission, Department of Treasury as the Head of Tax
Review, and PNG Customs Service as Deputy Commissioner.

Hon. Kessy Sawang, MP, entered politics because the lived-experiences and voices of women, girls, and youth were absent in Papua New Guinea’s legislature and highest national policy-making body. She also actively seeks to address socio-economic injustices faced by her rural communities. She is committed to driving transformation in rural PNG, empowering women, girls, and youth, creating decent jobs, and ensuring stronger effective worker protection and social safety nets.

As one of only three women in Parliament—and the only woman in Cabinet—she is determined to pave the way for more women in leadership. She strives to inspire future generations of both men and women to step into leadership roles at all levels, working together to build a stronger, more prosperous and safer Papua New Guinea for generations to come.