As the largest Pacific island country, a democracy, APEC member, and regional energy provider, Papua New Guinea is a key partner for the United States in the Indo-Pacific region.
On a recent visit to the island nation, Secretary of State Antony Blinken signed a Defense Cooperation Agreement, which he said “will enhance [Papua New Guinea’s] Defense Force’s capability to deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, including through providing medical care and temporary shelter to those who are affected by crises.” He added, “The agreement will also make it easy for [Papua New Guinea] and U.S. forces to train together in new ways and in more places as part of our joint effort to uphold peace and security across the Indo-Pacific.”
In addition, Secretary Blinken signed an Agreement Concerning Counter Illicit Transnational Maritime Activity Operations with Papua New Guinea, which addresses a range of maritime threats including illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, drug trafficking, migrant smuggling, and illicit transport of weapons of mass destruction. This agreement adds to the 11 existing agreements within the Pacific Island region and strengthens maritime governance and enforcement globally.
This new Agreement will enable Papua New Guinea to participate in the U.S. Coast Guard’s Shiprider program, which is aimed at combatting illicit maritime activities. “At more than 2.4 million square kilometers, the [Papua New Guinea] Exclusive Economic Zone is one of the largest in the South Pacific,” noted Secretary Blinken. “That poses a tremendous economic opportunity but also a serious challenge for monitoring, for controlling, for surveilling that vast expanse of maritime area. Under this agreement, our forces will be able to board one another’s vessels, share technical expertise, and ultimately better patrol the seas together.”
With these agreements in place, the United States and Papua New Guinea can deliver a strong, united response to actors that continue to engage in predatory behavior, as well as those who disregard territorial integrity and responsible and respectful use of marine resources.
