Australia and Papua New Guinea are looking to deepen their military engagement. An historic maritime arrangement, forged on mutual self-interest, will put their armed forces as close together as ever. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be in PNG on Monday. He’ll be signing the pact with Defence Minister Richard Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy. This is an exciting time for Papua New Guinea as the country looks towards its 50th year of independence.
The soon-to-be-finalized Reciprocal Access Agreement will enable both countries to utilize the other’s defense facilities. This step will lead to a higher quality of coordination that exceeds just interoperability. This move would help send that message loud and clear. More significantly, it demonstrates the depth of commitment, not just between the two countries but to the wider Pacific region. This military integration opens the door to joint training, trilateral military exercises, and combined operations. By training on identical equipment, we will truly be building “totally integrated” forces.
Strengthening Ties through Cooperation
Australia and Papua New Guinea have a long history of deep and connected military relationships. Recent high-level visits have laid the groundwork to further expand this important relationship. In August, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles visited Papua New Guinea to inaugurate an upgraded naval base on Manus Island, illustrating Australia’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its defense capabilities in the region.
For bilateral relations, the new agreement represents a tremendous step forward. As Papua New Guinea Defence Minister Billy Joseph recently pointed out, his nation’s strategic importance cannot be overstated. He emphasized that the militaries of both countries would work in unison as a “single fighting force,” increasing their joint security.
“When you look at what we’re about to sign in the lead up to independence … you look at this base, you put that together, and this is a really big strategic step for our nation.” – Billy Joseph
Joseph also pointed out the implications of this agreement for regional dynamics, stating that “other countries in our region look to us.” In addition, he noted, Papua New Guinea honors its neighbor countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity. It has made an unequivocal decision to deepen its security relationship with Australia.
Implications and Challenges Ahead
The agreement marks a big step forward in U.S.-India defense cooperation, but it has its pitfalls. The agreement still needs to be ratified by Papua New Guinea’s parliament before it can officially take effect. Joseph said he was confident that the new fiscal agreement would win unanimous support of the legislative body.
The issues have been raised about Australia’s cost burden if both militaries sought to operate the same platforms. Military expert Michael Shoebridge pointed out that Australia’s Defense Force typically prefers high-quality solutions, which could lead to budgetary pressures on Papua New Guinea’s military.
“I can imagine there needing to be some further budget support for PNG to their military to allow them to have the champagne tastes that our military has.” – Michael Shoebridge
This tentative $40,000 stipend has already raised eyebrows. Tensions in cooperation How will the two countries align their respective defense budgets even as they seek a more integrated bilateral military framework.
A Message to the Region
This agreement is on the cusp of sending a very strong signal. It will echo not only across the Pacific region, but across the globe. The Australian and Papua New Guinean defense forces have joined together in a potent unification. Experts consider this to be the biggest step yet toward developing an alliance-like relationship between the two countries.
Shoebridge highlighted the significance of this development, stating, “This is a pretty big step for PNG to say, ‘Yes, we agree, you actually are our security partner of choice, and we mean it enough to put it into a treaty.’” This deal, he commented, is further proof of how much in sync the two countries have become on defense priorities.
Joseph felt the same way, and stressed that their partnership will take place far beyond just working together. “We’re not talking about interoperability; we’re talking about totally integrated forces,” he stated, underscoring the depth of military collaboration envisioned in the new treaty.
