The Yegiora Files

For months, debate over a prospective defence treaty between PNG and Australia has gathered momentum. Negotiations were formally announced in February 2025, with leaders on both sides signalling September 16—PNG’s Independence Day—as a potential signing date. The treaty, if concluded, will represent the most binding military pact in PNG’s post-independence history. Yet amid the symbolism and political rhetoric, one fact remains stark: there has been no comprehensive academic research from within PNG critically assessing the risks and potential outcomes of such an agreement. It is important to be clear: this Defence Treaty is not the same as the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) signed in December 2023 and ratified in December 2024. The BSA was a broad framework covering security cooperation across policing, cyber, law and justice, and resilience building. While significant in scope, it was essentially a whole-of-government umbrella agreement. The Defence Treaty, by contrast, will b...

The Australian Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Treaties (JSCOT) recently released Report 220 , a detailed review of the Agreement Between the Government of Australia and the Government of Papua New Guinea on a Framework for Closer Security Relations . This report, tabled in September 2024, goes beyond the legal text: it explores obligations, costs, implementation pathways, and even sensitive issues such as the status of forces, immunities, and cyber security. Its central recommendation was clear—Australia should proceed with binding treaty action . The report demonstrates how Australia institutionalises scrutiny of treaty commitments. JSCOT examined the treaty text, considered a National Interest Analysis, held public hearings, and questioned senior officials from Defence, Foreign Affairs, and the Federal Police. It explored implications for sovereignty, fiscal costs, and the legal framework of cooperation. This reflects a deliberate effort to ensure public accountability and...

The development of PNG’s first postgraduate program in Foreign Policy Analysis has reached a critical milestone. After months of research, consultations, and rigorous planning, the draft Program Specification Document (PSD) has now been completed. This represents not just an academic exercise, but a strategic step toward strengthening PNG’s foreign policy capacity and equipping the next generation of policymakers, analysts, and practitioners with the skills to navigate an increasingly complex international environment. Cover page of the PSD for the Master and Postgraduate Diploma in Foreign Policy Analysis, Divine Word University, August 2025. Featured is the book Towards a PNG Foreign Policy White Paper authored by Mr. Lahui Ako. This program is being designed in direct response to a recognized gap in PNG’s higher education and policy landscape. For decades, the country has lacked a dedicated advanced program that blends theoretical training with practical exposure to foreign policy...

China’s donation of seven patrol boats to Vanuatu  has once again highlighted Beijing’s use of hard security assets as tools of influence in the Pacific. Valued at around US $2 million, this package represents more than simple material support. It is part of China’s broader strategy of embedding itself into the security fabric of island states by offering low-cost, highly visible solutions to pressing maritime security gaps. The vessels strengthen Vanuatu’s ability to patrol its waters and signal its growing security partnership with Beijing. China has handed over seven patrol boats to Vanuatu, reinforcing Beijing’s growing maritime footprint in the Pacific. Could PNG pursue a similar path to boost its own maritime security—or will the forthcoming defence treaty with Australia block that option? For PNG, the example of Vanuatu raises immediate questions. PNG faces a maritime security deficit of its own. The Defence Force’s Maritime Element is under-resourced, operating mainly with...

Prime Minister James Marape has welcomed China’s decision to open its markets to PNG’s agricultural exports. While much of the commentary has focused on coffee, it is Juncao mushrooms that could become the game-changer. Unlike traditional export crops that take years to bear fruit, Juncao mushrooms yield results within weeks, making them a realistic option for income generation and large-scale trade with China. The Juncao technology, pioneered by Chinese scientists and introduced to PNG two decades ago, has proven to be a low-cost, high-impact farming innovation. Farmers can cultivate mushrooms using grass and agricultural waste rather than cutting down trees, aligning with sustainable farming practices. The rapid production cycle and high market value of Juncao mushrooms set them apart as a new pillar in PNG’s export strategy. China’s Juncao technology has transformed livelihoods in PNG for over 20 years, equipping rural communities with sustainable farming skills and supporting t...

When I began my PhD research on China–PNG Higher Education Exchange Programs , my plan was to conduct all follow-up interviews face-to-face. The idea was to engage directly with participants, build trust, and gather nuanced perspectives through in-person dialogue. As the survey progressed, however, I realized that many of my participants form a hard-to-reach population . They are dispersed across PNG’s provinces, while others are based overseas in China. The diversity of their locations, along with scheduling challenges, made it impractical to rely solely on face-to-face interviews. To overcome this, I submitted an addendum to the DWU Research Ethics Committee (UREC) . I requested approval to shift my interviews to an online format using Microsoft Forms . The UREC approved the amendment, which has allowed me to adapt my methodology while maintaining ethical and academic standards. This change brings a key advantage: convenience. The interview questions are embedded in the online for...

PNG’s foreign policy since 1982 has been anchored on Active and Selective Engagement . The principle is sound: be open to the world, but engage in ways that protect and advance national interests. Yet this approach cannot succeed in today’s strategic environment without one critical foundation—intelligence.  Without strong intelligence and rigorous research capacity, the government is operating blind in an increasingly complex geopolitical arena. The reality is stark. From great power competition in the Pacific to transnational crime, cyber threats, and shifting trade routes, PNG’s security and prosperity depend on decisions informed by evidence, not guesswork. But evidence requires investment. The National Intelligence Organization (NIO), police intelligence, defence intelligence, customs intelligence, and even private security firms are operating with limited budgets and outdated capabilities. This leaves policymakers without the high-quality, real-time intelligence products nee...

PNG and Australia share a defence legacy forged during World War II. On the Kokoda Track and across the jungles of the Pacific, Papua New Guineans and Australians fought shoulder to shoulder in defence of freedom. That struggle produced the PNG Defence Force (PNGDF), formally established in 1973 but deeply shaped by Australian training, doctrine, and mentorship. In short, the history of PNG’s defence is inseparable from Australia’s. Yet it has taken nearly fifty years since independence for a formal treaty to emerge. Why now? Canberra’s offer to sign a comprehensive defence agreement with PNG on **September 16, 2025—Independence Day—**is being presented as a milestone, but its timing reveals deeper motives. As The Guardian notes, this deal represents a new phase in what it describes as a “diplomatic knife fight” between Australia and China over PNG ( The Guardian ). The symbolism of signing on Independence Day is powerful, but the substance of the arrangement is where scrutiny is req...

Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited (KPHL) has done the right thing by backing the Department of Education’s focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The long-term growth of PNG depends on developing a skilled workforce capable of driving industrialization, managing energy security, and building critical infrastructure. My research on PNG students studying in China shows that this approach is not only correct but should be intensified. From a LinkedIn-based database of 329 PNG students and alumni across Chinese universities, the majority are concentrated in STEM disciplines. Fields such as Petroleum Engineering, Civil and Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Chemistry, and Environmental Engineering have attracted the highest numbers. By contrast, fields in the humanities and social sciences are much less represented. This distribution demonstrates both the scholarship priorities of China and the development needs of PNG. Figure 1: Top 15 fields of...

“Yu harim tok blo me, em bai mi harim tok blo yu.” In Tok Pisin, this saying means: if you listen to me, I will listen to you. Respect is mutual. It is a principle that applies not only in daily life but also in diplomacy. Yet PNG’s current posture toward Hamas reveals a contradiction. We ignored them in 2023, and now in 2025, we expect them to heed us. Timeline of PNG’s engagement with Israel and Hamas: Embassy opened in Jerusalem (Sept 2023), Hamas attack on Israel (Oct 2023), Prime Minister Marape’s statement to Hamas (Aug 2025), and Australia’s recognition of Palestine (Sept 2025). Credit: Source: AI-generated When PNG opened its embassy in Jerusalem on 5 September 2023, Hamas publicly warned us not to proceed. They cautioned that recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would be seen as provocation. PNG did not listen. We went ahead, acting on our sovereign right to align with Israel. That choice reflected our interests and our foreign policy tradition, not Hamas’s wishes. B...

First, let me thank all of you who took the time to participate in my survey and share your experiences with China’s Higher Education Exchange Programs (HEEPs). Your contributions have been invaluable in helping me gather first-hand insights into how these programs operate and what they mean for Papua New Guinea’s future engagement with China. I promised to keep you informed along the way, and this blog serves as an update on where the project now stands. So far, I have received 230 survey responses, covering a broad range of program types, from Chinese Government Scholarships and Chinese Language Programs to Public Sector Training Programs and self-sponsored participants. This strong turnout is already providing a rich dataset to analyze. The diversity of responses shows that PNG’s engagement with China through education extends well beyond scholarships and reaches into civil service training, language learning, and even technical skills development. To better understand patterns ac...

The question of whether Torres Strait Islander rugby league players should don the Kumuls jersey or align with PNG’s forthcoming NRL franchise goes beyond sport. It touches sovereignty, cultural identity, and strategy. The answer lies in distinguishing between the national symbolism of the Kumuls and the commercial and cultural inclusivity of a professional franchise .   A Torres Strait Islander rugby league player in traditional dress gazes down at a map of Papua New Guinea surrounded by cultural motifs, symbolizing shared identity across the Torres Strait and PNG. AI-generated image. Legally, the rules are straightforward. International Rugby League eligibility is based on citizenship or direct ancestry through parents or grandparents. Torres Strait Islanders are legally Australian citizens, not Papua New Guineans. The Torres Strait Treaty recognizes their cultural and subsistence links across the Strait, but it does not create nationality rights. In short, unless a Torres St...

Australia has already delivered substantial military hardware to the PNGDF under the Pacific Maritime Security Program and other bilateral arrangements. This includes four Guardian-class patrol boats, two PAC-750XL utility aircraft, and twelve up-armoured Land Cruiser vehicles designed for internal security operations. Canberra is also funding major upgrades to the Lombrum Naval Base on Manus Island, home to HMPNGS Tarangau, and has expanded joint exercises such as Talisman Sabre to include PNG forces. These moves, coupled with intensive training programs, represent a rapid and tangible increase in PNGDF capability. This build-up is already well underway. Australia is not merely planning to strengthen PNG’s defence capacity—it is actively doing so. Ships, vehicles, aircraft, and infrastructure are being paired with advanced training to improve operational readiness and interoperability. While the stated aim is to enhance border security, boost maritime surveillance, and contribute to ...

Our recent online discussions on the influence of various stakeholders in shaping PNG’s foreign policy sparked a lively and thought-provoking exchange. The discussion began with the pressing need for greater transparency in foreign policy-making, especially ensuring that stakeholders know which organizations and actors are involved in shaping decisions. A key point raised was the limited role that PNG academics have historically played in influencing foreign policy compared to their counterparts in Australia. This was linked to a lack of regular information sharing from practitioners, which has widened the disconnect between research-based insights and real-world policy-making. Screenshot of the online discussion on private sector in foreign policy making and implementation. The conversation then moved to the private sector’s influence on foreign policy. Participants reflected on how companies in sectors such as mining, agriculture, telecommunications, and defence can shape national p...

The death of Mr. Anthony Sil on July 18, 2025, has left a profound void in my life. He was more than a lecturer or supervisor—he was a mentor, guide, and friend whose steady presence and intellectual leadership influenced the direction of my academic and professional journey. His passing is not only a personal loss but a national one, for Papua New Guinea has lost one of its finest political thinkers and dedicated educators.  I first met Mr. Sil under unassuming circumstances. I was a first-year student at the University of Papua New Guinea, barely finding my footing in political science. One afternoon, as I stood outside my dormitory, I saw Mr. Wamil Mol walking by with another man. Wamil, recognizing me, called out, “Come and meet Tony Sil.” I walked over, and Mr. Sil shook my hand firmly. I remember clearly—he had a novel tucked under his arm. That small gesture left an impression. Here was a man of ideas, returning from his studies in Britain, bringing with him a depth of know...