The Judiciary of Papua New Guinea proudly demonstrated its commitment to judicial excellence and international collaboration as Justice Colin Makail and Justice Vergil Los Narokobi of the Supreme and National Court represented the judiciary at the 11th Biennial Meeting of Commonwealth Judicial Educators, hosted at the Supreme Court of India in New Delhi from the 13 – 15 February 2026.

Their participation highlighted Papua New Guinea’s growing role in shaping judicial education across the Commonwealth.

With the theme “Educating for Judicial Leadership”, the conference brought together judicial educators from 14 Commonwealth countries, including Papua New Guinea, Australia, India, Canada, the Philippines, Malaysia, Nigeria, Mali, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Guyana, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The sessions addressed pressing issues such as artificial intelligence in judicial practice, programme design for judicial leadership, environmental justice, judicial wellbeing, integrity and independence, and judgment writing.

Justice Makail and Justice Narokobi engaged in discussions on two standout topics:

– Artificial Intelligence (AI): Exploring risks, opportunities, and leadership imperatives for judiciaries adopting AI.

– Judicial Leadership: Addressing governance challenges faced by new Chief Justices and designing orientation programmes to strengthen judicial excellence.

Key insights included recognition of AI as a transformative tool for judicial research and decision-making, requiring clear governance frameworks. The meeting also marked the first time judicial leadership was formally discussed at a Commonwealth Judicial Educators conference, underscoring the importance of structured orientation training for new Chief Justices.

The judges further noted the relevance of judgment writing training, referencing the National Judicial College of Australia’s four-tier programme, which could be adapted to strengthen Papua New Guinea’s judiciary.

Justice Makail and Justice Narokobi expressed gratitude to Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika for approving their participation, and to the National Judicial Staff Services for facilitating travel arrangements. They

also acknowledged the support of Mr Vincent Sumala, Papua New Guinea’s High Commissioner to India, who met with them during the conference.

Through their participation, Papua New Guinea’s judiciary remains firmly connected to global developments in judicial education. The knowledge and insights gained will inform future training initiatives, enhance judicial capacity, and reinforce ongoing efforts to uphold the rule of law and judicial excellence at home. Their representation affirms Papua New Guinea’s role as an active and valued contributor to the Commonwealth community of judiciaries