Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Monday that Australia and Papua New Guinea will sign a defense treaty this week, requiring their forces to work together if either country comes under attack.
The pact, known as the Pukpuk Treaty after the Tok Pisin word for crocodile, will be signed on Wednesday in Port Moresby by Albanese and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape.
Under the deal, Australia will also gain access to designated military facilities in Papua New Guinea.
Citizens from each country will be eligible to serve in the other’s armed forces, with Papua New Guineans able to join the Australian Defence Force on equal pay and benefits and pursue a path to citizenship.
Albanese described the deal as “a very significant upgrade in our defense relationship,” saying it provides for shared defense and integration of both militaries’ assets and operations.
Papua New Guinea’s cabinet has already endorsed the security pact. “The treaty is meant to prepare our militaries to be battle-ready and for a very bad day,” a PNG cabinet submission seen by the ABC stated.
“It has the ability to bite and, like a crocodile, its bite force speaks of the interoperability and preparedness of the military for war,” the document added.
The agreement follows a broader 2023 security deal between the two countries and comes as Canberra seeks to counter China’s influence in the Pacific.
