The Path to Kina Convertibility: An Analysis of Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Exchange Market

This paper recommends an immediate and frontloaded exchange rate depreciation that can encourage an adjustment process to address the foreign exchange shortage in Papua New Guinea. Due to a shortage in foreign exchange (forex) since 2015, the central bank of Papua New Guinea rationed forex that led to a large backlog of orders and import compression. The study finds that the policy proposals discussed in the country are inadequate to restore currency convertibility, based on surveys of the forex market structure and analysis of recent market conditions. It recommends more exchange rate flexibility and forex allocation through competitive auctions over the medium term.