Papua New Guinea will sign a defence treaty with Australia on 15 September, one day before its 50th independence anniversary. The treaty allows Papua New Guinea nationals to gain Australian citizenship by serving in Australian defence forces, deepens defence cooperation, and gives both militaries greater access to each other's bases. Australian minister Pat Conroy said security and prosperity are entwined and the treaty elevates that partnership. PNG minister Billy Joseph said the treaty signals PNG stands with Australia amid competing regional interests. PNG faces a geopolitical contest for influence across the Pacific, balancing opportunities and pressures from China and Australia.
As Papua New Guinea prepares to mark 50 years as an independent nation next month, the country will sign a defence treaty with Australia, binding it closer again to its former colonial overseer. The treaty will allow Papua New Guinea nationals to gain Australian citizenship by serving in its defence forces, deepen defence cooperation, and give both countries' militaries greater access to each other's bases.
Our security and prosperity is entwined with their security and prosperity: this defence treaty will take that to an even higher level, Australia's minister for defence industry and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, said this week. His PNG counterpart, Billy Joseph, described the treaty as an agreement that sends a message: with all these competing interests in the region, PNG stands with Australia.
PNG's defence treaty with Australia will be signed on 15 September, one day before the country celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence from Australia. But this day could have looked very different. Port Moresby sources say PNG was close to signing a policing and security deal with China last year, before Australia stepped in with an offer to fund a PNG team in Australia's national rugby league competition.
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