Australia, Papua New Guinea Mutual Defense Treaty Firm | News

The Pukpuk treaty compromises the two neighbors to greater military cooperation, although the text has not yet been launched.

The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, and the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (PNG) James Marape have signed a mutual defense treaty in Canberra, and the leaders say that the text of the agreement will be available soon.

Marape told journalists on Monday in the Australian capital that the treaty was reduced “of geography, history and lasting reality of our shared neighborhood.”

“It is a bigger fence that ensures two houses that has its own space in the patio,” Marape said, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Papua New Guinean leader did not agree that the pact was developed due to broader geopolitical problems, in an apparent reference to the military interests of countries such as China and the United States in the Pacific region.

“This treaty was not conceived by geopolitics or any other reason,” Marape said.

“We maintain friends for all enemies, we advocate peace where we get involved, in regards to foreign relations,” added the PNG leader.

Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese said that the “very explicit” treaty that there will be “interoperability” among the “defense assets” of the two neighboring countries, adding that “our greatest asset is our people.”

ABC reported that this meant that the two countries would share the same rights as the current members of the Five Eyes agreement, which Australia shares with Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Marape’s office said last week that the agreement will create a path for 10,000 new Papua Guineans to serve in the Australian defense force, since its country also aims to develop its own defense force to 7,000 troops.

Papua New Guinea has a population of about 12 million people, of which around 40 percent live below the poverty line, in marked contrast with their richest neighbor, Australia.

The signature of the Pukpuk treaty occurs weeks after Papua New Guinea celebrated 50 years of independence from Australia, who assumed the control of his northern neighbor as a colonial power in 1902, after both countries were colonized by the United Kingdom.

In August 2013, Australia signed a memorandum of understanding with Papua New Guinea, which saw thousands of migrants arrive in Australia by boat on the island of Manus in the detention on the high seas.

The controversial detention center closed in 2017, leaving hundreds of stranded refugees.

Australia is also looking to sign a security agreement with Fiji, after a similar agreement that covers both security and climate change with Vanuatu stagnated last month.

Australia also recently signed a historical treaty with Tuvalu, the first agreement in the world that offers visas to help people face displacement due to the climate crisis to be resettled.

Climate change remains a key security concern for many countries in the region, and Australia offers to organize the UN Climate Change Meeting Cop 2026, along with its Pacific neighbors.

The offer has not yet materialized since Turkiye is also formally campaigning to organize the same meeting.