Australia, Papua New Guinea sign mutual defence treaty

A mutual defense agreement has been signed between Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and PNG’s James Marape, with the leaders claiming the agreement’s terms will soon be available.

The treaty was created “out of geography, history, and the enduring reality of our shared neighbourhood,” Marape told reporters in the Australian capital on Monday.

According to Marape, “It’s about one bigger fence that secures two houses with its own yard space,” Marape said.

The Papua New Guinean leader refuted the claim that the pact was drafted in response to wider geopolitical concerns, making an ostensible mention of China’s and the US’s military interests in the Pacific region.

According to Marape, “This treaty was not created for geopolitics or any other reason.”

The leader of PNG, “We keep friendships with all enemies, and we support peace wherever we go,” he continued.

The agreement “makes very explicit” that there will be “interoperability” between the two neighboring nations’ “defence assets,” according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, adding that “our greatest asset is our people.”

According to the ABC report, this meant that Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the United States would all have the same rights as the other countries under the Five Eyes agreement, which they currently hold in Australia.

As his nation plans to increase its own defense force to 7, 000 troops, Marape’s office announced last week that the agreement will open the door for 10, 000 Papua New Guineans to join the Australian Defence Force.

In stark contrast to Australia, which has a population of about 12 million, of which about 40% live below the poverty line.

The Pukpuk Treaty was signed just days after Australia, which had seized control of its northern neighbor as a colonial power in 1902 and both nations were colonized by the UK, celebrated 50 years of independence from the country.

In August 2013, Australia and Papua New Guinea signed a memorandum of understanding, which saw thousands of migrants detained on Manus Island in offshore detention as they arrived in Australia by boat.

In 2017, hundreds of refugees were left stranded after the contentious detention facility closed.

After a previous stalled security and climate change agreement with Vanuatu last month, Australia is now looking to sign a security agreement with Fiji.

Australia and Tuvalu recently signed a landmark agreement, which would be the first to grant visas to people who have been resettled due to the climate crisis.

Many nations in the region continue to be concerned about climate change, with Australia and its Pacific neighbors submitting proposals to host the UN COP on climate change in 2026.