Security pact with Papua New Guinea on the cards for Anthony Albanese’s visit

A security pact between Australia and Papua New Guinea will set an example for the region and pave the way for a peaceful and prosperous future, Anthony Albanese will tell his counterparts in a landmark address.

The Prime Minister is making his first overseas trip for the year to PNG to strengthen security ties and relations between the two counties during a two-day visit this week.

He will become the first foreign leader to ever address the PNG Parliament on Thursday, where he will say the friendship between the two nations has held true over decades despite “rough seas and tough times”.

“This can be a decisive decade for peace, prosperity, unity and security in the Indo-Pacific,” Mr Albanese will say in his speech.

“As two big Pacific Ocean states, Australia and PNG must work as equals with our fellow Pacific states to build a stronger, safer, more secure region. All of us have a part to play in realising that vision.”

The main outcome of the trip is set to be the signing of a new bilateral security agreement on Thursday, an important measure amid competition in the region from China.

It will underpin the joint work to address PNG’s priorities in dealing with law and order challenges and strengthening its justice system, Mr Albanese will tell the Parliament.

As well, the treaty based on deep trust and building on “the family-first approach to regional security” would serve as an example to others in the region.

It would be only Australia’s third legally binding treaty with a Pacific country after the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

Last month, Foreign Minister Penny Wong secured the security deal with Vanuatu as Australia works to bolster its standing in the Indo-Pacific amid growing influence from Beijing, which entered a treaty with the Solomon Islands last year.

It also follows China’s failed attempt to expand that security agreement with eight other Pacific countries.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape will host Mr Albanese in Port Moresby for the annual leaders’ dialogue on Thursday, before they fly to Wewak in the north to pay homage to the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare on Friday.

This will be the fifth time the pair have met since Mr Albanese took office nearly eight months ago and the first trip to PNG for an Australian prime minister since 2018.

Mr Albanese was due to visit the country in December but the trip was postponed after he tested positive to COVID-19.

He is expected to offer the nation increased defence support during the visit, as well as make a significant commitment to the country’s renewable energy and infrastructure projects.

There are also set to be discussions around expanding the Pacific labour mobility scheme that allows PNG workers to come to Australia for seasonal jobs.

Australia is PNG’s largest trading partner with two-way trade exceeding $4.8 billion in 2021.

In the lead-up to the 50th anniversary of PNG independence in 2025 — in which the Whitlam Labor government played a major role in 1975 — there is expected to be increased collaboration between the two nations.

Mr Marape last week said the visit would reinforce the strong bond between Australia and PNG.

“Australia and Papua New Guinea have a long history and this visit will strengthen our shared vision for the future,” he said in a statement.

“Australia is a very important foundation bilateral partner of PNG, in as far as nation-to-nation relations are concerned.”