The Yegiora Files

By Bernard Yegiora Retired Major-General Jerry Singirok raises a legitimate concern in The National’s article, “Defence alliance a worry” , published on 27 October 2026. His warning is that closer defence cooperation with Australia and the United States could create strategic dependency and encourage Papua New Guinean officers to understand security through the priorities of larger powers.  Screenshot of The National’s report, “Defence alliance a worry” (27 October 2026), highlighting retired Major-General Jerry Singirok’s concerns about PNG’s sovereignty and strategic dependency. Source: The National . This concern deserves serious consideration. It also raises a practical question: how well equipped are our own institutions and officers to ensure these partnerships serve PNG’s national interests? My view is that officers in the Department of Defence (DoD) and the PNG Defence Force (PNGDF) need a strong understanding of our national interests, the threats we face and the insti...

By Bernard Yegiora China’s recent intercontinental ballistic missile test in the Pacific generated considerable regional debate. Political leaders, diplomats, defence officials and commentators focused on the strategic meaning of the launch, the implications for Pacific security and the responsibility of major powers operating in the region. For PNG, the debate also exposed a more fundamental national security question: Does the country possess the scientific and technical expertise required to independently assess complex strategic technologies? This question extends far beyond one missile test. The contemporary security environment is increasingly shaped by ballistic missiles, satellite systems, artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, autonomous weapons, biotechnology, quantum technologies and advanced surveillance systems. These are not issues that can be understood through political analysis alone. They require scientific expertise. PNG’s National Security Policy 2024–2029 alre...

By Bernard Yegiora  The first article in this series examined the emergence of the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Joint Intelligence Group (JIG) as part of PNG’s evolving intelligence-led national security framework. The second article explored where Provincial Intelligence Committees could potentially fit within this emerging security architecture and how intelligence coordination may eventually need to evolve beyond Waigani into the provinces. However, institutions and coordination mechanisms alone are insufficient. The long-term effectiveness of PNG’s national security framework will ultimately depend on whether the country develops its own home-grown generation of strategic thinkers, intelligence analysts, foreign policy specialists, cybersecurity experts, defence planners, and security professionals capable of sustaining and strengthening these institutions over time. Modern national security environments are becoming increasingly complex. PNG is now confronted w...