The Australian government Signs Major Military Pact with Papua New Guinea

The Australian nation will obtain rights to Papua New Guinea's armed forces bases and personnel under a freshly signed pact that will see the two countries come to each other's defence if either is under attack.

This agreement will permit a maximum of 10,000 nationals of Papua New Guinea to enlist in Australia's military. They will also have the opportunity to become Australian citizens.

Pact Provisions

Dubbed the Crocodile Agreement (signifying "crocodile" in PNG pidgin), the two-nation deal is the most recent in a series of agreements forged by regional states and countries seeking a military influence in the region.

The pact has the ability to bite and, like a crocodile, its strength speaks of the interoperability and readiness of the military for conflict.

An armed attack on any signatory would be “a threat to the partner's stability” so the two are to “address the collective risk”.

Deeper Partnership

The pact also included expanded partnership around digital domains and spectrum operations.

Earlier, the defence official from Papua New Guinea said that the deal would mean that defence personnel from each country would be “completely unified”.

• Initially, to curb external influence in the nation by guaranteeing it does not have the same level of access to infrastructure.
• Second, to resolve Australia's recent difficulties recruiting for its military.
• In conclusion, the agreement also demonstrates a stance to international actors.

The advantages of the deal were multi-faceted, according to a regional security expert.

“There is a surplus of fit and willing individuals in PNG ready for such roles,” they said, noting that many people would be interested in the possibilities of residing in the country and perhaps securing permanent status.

Regional Implications

The treaty is a component of a described as hub and spokes network of security agreements in the area – with the nation at the heart and regional countries being the partners.

There are concerns that the treaty undermines the nation's non-aligned foreign policy position by linking PNG with its partner on every defence issue.

Both sides need greater clarity on the anticipated outcomes, duties and assurances.

The deal also included annual joint military exercises 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”.

The agreement would help update the defence force, bringing a significant boost in both resources and confidence.