Building PNG’s Foreign Policy Capacity: A Postgraduate Program for Vision 2050 and MTDP IV

PNG’s geopolitical environment is growing more complex as global competition, climate change and transnational threats reshape the Pacific. Yet the country’s capacity to analyse and formulate foreign policy remains limited. Public servants, private‑sector leaders and academics often lack formal training in modern diplomacy, geopolitical analysis and cross‑sector coordination. A proposed Master of Foreign Policy Analysis (MFA) with an embedded Postgraduate Diploma seeks to fill that gap by cultivating a cadre of skilled analysts.

The need for such a program is evident when considering that PNG has produced only one comprehensive foreign policy white paper since independence. Active and Selective Engagement, tabled in Parliament on 9 November 1981 following a review commissioned by Sir Michael Somare and championed by Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan, was published in 1982 in the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Review Journal (Volume 1, Number 4) for public circulation. It remains the country’s only officially endorsed foreign-policy framework. Since then, successive governments have relied on periodic reviews rather than drafting new policy documents, leaving the nation’s foreign-policy direction to ministerial speeches and ad hoc initiatives.

Foreign Affairs Minister Noel Levi presenting PNG’s first and only foreign-policy white paper, Active and Selective Engagement, tabled in Parliament in 1981 and published in 1982.

The inability of the Department of Foreign Affairs to translate political statements—such as those from prime ministers and foreign ministers—into written, sector-aligned policies (e.g., Defence White Paper, National Security Policy, National Refugee Policy) is a significant governance shortfall. This institutional inertia is well-documented by Dr. Philip Mitna, who concludes that PNG’s foreign policy environment “remains weak and more personalised in individual political leaders,” lacking the necessary institutional consolidation and coherence. Scholars such as Anere, Ako, and Kaiku et al. likewise observe that much of PNG’s foreign policy analysis suffers from inadequate empirical grounding and weak theoretical frameworks, undermining both academic inquiry and practical policy development.

This historical shortfall sits uneasily alongside PNG’s ambitious national development plans. Vision 2050’s Pillar 4 emphasises security and international relations, calling for foreign policy to reflect national interests and admitting that the management of international relations has been poorly coordinated. The same pillar advocates establishing a National Foreign Service and creating a cadre of diplomats and international relations scholars. Without a dedicated postgraduate program, it is difficult to produce the skilled professionals required to realise this vision.

The Medium Term Development Plan IV (2023–2027) echoes this priority by identifying National Security and Strategic Partnerships among its key strategic areas. However, capacity constraints persist: most foreign affairs officers have limited exposure to advanced research methods, policy integration techniques or the strategic frameworks that underpin international diplomacy. The MFA and its exit‑point Postgraduate Diploma address these weaknesses by providing coursework and research aligned with national development goals, ensuring that foreign policy initiatives support economic growth, security and sustainable development.

The forthcoming release of a new foreign policy white paper adds urgency. After more than four decades, the Foreign Policy White Paper Drafting Committee submitted a draft white paper and related reports to government in 2024. Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko emphasised that this submission represents the first update to the 1981/82 document and called for endorsement by the National Executive Council and Parliament. Implementing the new policy will require analysts capable of translating high‑level directives into actionable initiatives, negotiating complex international agreements and coordinating across government.

The MFA program is designed to produce that cadre. Students will receive advanced instruction in international relations theory, trade diplomacy, security and defence policy, environmental diplomacy and cultural diplomacy. They will also learn to align foreign policy with economic, trade and environmental policies—skills essential for ensuring coherence across government. Hands‑on components, such as simulations and internships, will prepare graduates for real‑world decision‑making.

Flexibility is built into the program. Participants can exit after the first year with a Postgraduate Diploma or continue to complete the full master’s degree, accommodating mid‑career professionals who may have limited time. A hybrid delivery model—combining on‑campus intensives with online sessions—further broadens access to learners across the country.

By combining historical context with contemporary demand and national policy alignment, the MFA and Postgraduate Diploma offer more than academic credentials; they are strategic investments in PNG’s future. They promise to produce the human capital needed to implement forthcoming policy frameworks and to ensure that PNG can engage confidently and coherently on the world stage.