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The Australian nation will secure entry to PNG's armed forces bases and soldiers under a new agreement that will ensure both nations support one another if either is under attack.

“Australia remains our preferred security ally, and this is understood... Our broader relationships remain intact,” stated the nation's head of state.

The pact will enable as many as 10,000 Papua New Guineans to serve in the Australian Defence Force. They will also have the opportunity to obtain Australian citizenship.

Treaty Details

Dubbed the Pukpuk Treaty (which translates to "the crocodile" in local dialect), the two-nation deal is the latest in a line of deals forged by Pacific nations and nations seeking a security presence in the Pacific zone.

The treaty can deliver a strong response and, in the manner of this predator, its strength highlights the interoperability and preparation of the military for war.

An armed attack on any signatory would be “a risk to mutual safety” so both should “respond to the shared threat”.

Deeper Partnership

The pact also included expanded partnership around digital domains and electromagnetic warfare.

Previously, the defence official from Papua New Guinea indicated that the treaty would mean that the military units of both nations would be “fully combined”.

• To begin with, to restrict outside power in the nation by guaranteeing it does not have the comparable reach to facilities.
• Furthermore, to resolve Australia's recent difficulties enlisting new personnel.
• In conclusion, the deal also communicates a point to foreign governments.

The advantages of the agreement were three-pronged, as stated by a Pacific affairs specialist.

“PNG has an oversupply of able-bodied citizens who are willing to do this kind of work,” it was explained, noting that a significant number would be interested in the opportunities of living in Australia and perhaps obtaining citizenship.

Regional Implications

This agreement represents an element in a so-called core-and-periphery system of security agreements in the region – with Australia at the core and Pacific states being the spokes.

Some have raised issues that the agreement may compromise PNG's ‘friends to all, enemies to none’ diplomatic stance by associating PNG with its partner on each safety concern.

Both sides need more precise understanding on the anticipated outcomes, obligations and commitments.

This agreement also included regular collaborative training which were about “communicating intent,” to “show the interoperability of the forces and their ability to face an external threat in the region and how quickly they can organise themselves and deploy”.

This treaty would help modernise the nation's military, bringing a significant boost in both equipment and morale.