Mekere Morauta

Sir Mekere Morauta
7th Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea
In office
14 July 1999 – 5 August 2002
MonarchElizabeth II
Governor GeneralSir Silas Atopare
Preceded byBill Skate
Succeeded bySir Michael Somare
Personal details
Born(1946-06-12)12 June 1946
Kukipi, Territory of Papua (now Papua New Guinea)
Died19 December 2020(2020-12-19) (aged 74)[1]
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
NationalityPapua New Guinea Papua New Guinean
Political partyPeople's Democratic Movement
Spouse(s)Louise Morauta
Lady Roslyn Morauta
Alma materUniversity of Papua New Guinea,
Flinders University
ProfessionEconomist

Sir Mekere Morauta KCMG PC (12 June 1946 – 19 December 2020)[2] was a Papua New Guinean politician and economist who served as the 7th Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea from 1999 to 2002. Inheriting a depressed economy and a fractious legislature, he embarked on fundamental reforms of the country's economy and political system.

Before entering politics, Morauta led the post-independence process of building financial infrastructure in Papua New Guinea as Secretary of Finance, Managing Director of the state-owned Papua New Guinea Banking Corporation, and Governor of the central bank. As a member of parliament, he represented Port Moresby North West from 1997 until 2012, and again from 2017 until his death in 2020.

Morauta remained an active opposition leader during the successive governments of Sir Michael Somare and Peter O'Neill, especially focusing on the politics of natural resources.

  1. ^ "Sir Mekere has died". 19 December 2020.
  2. ^ Europa Publications (2003). The International Who's Who 2004. Psychology Press. p. 1166. ISBN 978-1-85743-217-6.