The United States and Papua New Guinea have agreed to sign a security pact, part of which is expected to give the United States vital access to the waters of the Pacific island nation. Voice of America’s Ahadian Utama reports from Port Moresby.
U.S. President Joe Biden has shifted attention to the Pacific over concerns about China’s increasing influence in the region, as Beijing has been giving diplomatic and financial assistance to some Pacific nations.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape says agreements with Washington that focus on defense cooperation and maritime matters will be formally signed after parliamentary approval.
James Marape
Papua New Guinea prime minister
Now we’re elevating to a specific defense cooperation agreement, something that is falling short of treaty. And so this has been an ongoing work for some time.
The defense and maritime agreements will allow the U.S. access to waters near the sea routes to Australia and Japan. In return, Papua New Guinea will gain access to U.S. satellite surveillance.
James Marape
Papua New Guinea prime minister
With the U.S. Coast Guard, it now give us an opportune time to access — not just maritime access but satellite access — to illegal fishing, drug traffickers, illegal loggers.
Elias Wohengu, Papua New Guinea Foreign Affairs secretary, led the negotiations and says the pact will not prevent Papua New Guinea from engaging with other nations.
Elias Wohengu
Papua New Guinea foreign affairs secretary
We are within the ambit of the foreign policy expected of Papua New Guinea: friends to all, enemies to none. This agreement does not in any way preclude PNG from engaging with another nation in a future defense cooperation agreement.
Analysts say this pact will raise concerns over U.S.-China rivalry in the region and potentially put Pacific Island nations in the middle of U.S.-China tension. In 2022, the Solomon Islands agreed to sign a security pact with China.
Paul Barker
Institute of National Affairs
Obviously, there comes a point where one has to be careful if those different external players reach heightened levels of tension and PNG and its neighbors can be caught in the midst of it.
Ahadian Utama, VOA News, Papua New Guinea.
