'Will APEC make us rich?' Summit confuses PNG hosts

As Papua New Guinea prepares to make its international summit hosting debut, there are lingering concerns about whether one of the Pacific's poorest countries can afford the cost, and if it is able to take advantage of its time in the sun.

Barefoot betel nut vendors in Port Moresby's main market expressed confusion on Thursday about the political circus that has arrived on their shores, as guards cleared nearby roads for presidents and CEOs from around the Asia-Pacific region.

Few of the capital's residents had the faintest idea about what will be discussed when leaders sit down for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit on Saturday and Sunday, or what will have changed by the time they leave.

"Will APEC make us rich like other nations?" asked Harriette Jack, 68. "Comparing to other nations, we are not close."
"It's a big risk to be taking to host this summit," Jonathan Pryke of Australia's Lowy Institute told AFP. "It has pushed the country to the limit in terms of the capacity of the bureaucracy, in terms of the cost."
"It's crazy because there's a lot of money (spent)."