Albanese’s defence pact with Papua New Guinea faces delay amid sovereignty concerns

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has faced another setback in his efforts to strengthen security ties in the Pacific, with the signing of a major defence treaty with Papua New Guinea (PNG) delayed over sovereignty concerns.

Albanese, who is visiting Port Moresby, had been expected to finalise the so-called Pukpuk mutual defence treaty with PNG Prime Minister James Marape this week. However, the agreement will now be postponed, with both leaders opting instead to issue a joint communiqué and continue negotiations.

The treaty, once signed, is expected to bind the two countries to assist each other in the event of a military attack. It would also allow citizens to serve in each other’s defence forces, expand joint training, improve technical interoperability, and introduce new cooperation on cyber security.

Albanese attempted to play down the delay, attributing it to cabinet scheduling issues linked to PNG’s independence commemorations. “We will go through our respective cabinet processes and expect to finalise the signing of the treaty, the words of which have been agreed, in coming weeks,” he said at a press conference in Port Moresby.

“There is no downside in this whatsoever. This is all upside for Australia and upside for Papua New Guinea.”

Marape, while affirming PNG’s need for stronger defence cooperation, emphasised that the initiative for the treaty had come from Port Moresby and insisted the arrangement would not compromise national sovereignty. “A security treaty for Papua New Guinea would be the highest, in terms of secure relations we have given to any country,” he said.

The postponement marks the second recent delay for Canberra’s Pacific diplomacy. Earlier this month, Vanuatu held off signing a bilateral agreement with Australia amid debates over critical minerals funding linked to China.

The wider partnership between Australia and PNG also includes a $600 million package, under which Albanese has promoted PNG’s entry into the NRL in 2028 as a diplomatic “sweetener”. He reaffirmed that the sports element of the deal would not be affected by the defence negotiations.

Despite the holdup, both governments expressed confidence that the treaty will be signed in the coming weeks, presenting it as a cornerstone of future security cooperation in the Pacific.

With Agency Inputs