Subscribe to our WhatsApp Channel
As world leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York in September 2026, photographs of a man in a traditional headdress and highland attire went viral. They were labelled as Papua New Guinea’s “president” James Marape, and in some versions Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to be looking at him. The man was not Marape, and the Netanyahu image was edited. Here are the posts.
Social Media Posts:
Digitally altered images circulated on social media, claiming to show Papua New Guinea’s President James Marape at this year’s UNGA session, as shown below.
Facebook | Archived Link Facebook | Archived Link
Fact-Check:
Papua New Guinea has no president; James Marape is Prime Minister
Papua New Guinea has no presidential office. It is a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with King Charles III of the United Kingdom as its official Head of State. The Governor-General, currently Sir Bob Dadae, performs the King’s ceremonial duties within the country. Executive and governing power rests with the Prime Minister, currently James Marape. Further details are available here, here and here.
Marape attended this year’s session, but he is not the man in the photo
James Marape did attend this year’s UNGA session, as the posts claimed. However, the man in the photo is not him.
The man is an indigenous activist from the 2017 UN Permanent Forum
The man in the photo is neither Papua New Guinea’s president nor its prime minister. He is an indigenous activist who attended the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) in New York in May 2017. He wore a traditional koteka, a penis gourd worn by the highland tribe’s native to New Guinea, along with a traditional headdress.
The Netanyahu photo is digitally edited
The photo showing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu standing beside the man and looking at him is a digitally edited image. Netanyahu did not attend the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). Another post on the matter is available here.
Join us to learn more about our fact-check investigations.
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Google News | TikTok | YouTube
Conclusion:
Our investigation found that the photograph purportedly showing Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape at this year’s UNGA session in traditional attire shows a different person. He is an indigenous activist who attended the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York in 2017. The version showing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu beside him is also digitally edited.
Papua New Guinea has no president. Executive power rests with Prime Minister James Marape, who attended this year’s session.
Title: No, This Is Not PNG PM James Marape at UNGA; Netanyahu Photo Is Edited
Fact Check By: Pavithra Sandamali
Result: False
