The Yegiora Files

PNG’s reliance on security treaties and defence cooperation agreements with Australia is understandable given our geographic proximity and historical ties. Yet, the sequencing of our priorities is questionable. Instead of anchoring our bilateral relationship primarily in security, PNG would have been better served by negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) with Australia. Economic integration should precede security guarantees. Trade builds independence, and independence funds security. Australia has a Free Trade Agreement with China—why not with PNG? Instead of another defence treaty, why not build true economic integration first? Because PATCRA II is a non-reciprocal trade agreement or not an equal free trade agreement. Australia is already our largest trading partner and aid donor . But aid does not translate into economic sovereignty. An FTA would open Australian markets more fully to PNG goods and services, incentivise investment in manufacturing and agriculture, and create a...

When designing a postgraduate program in Foreign Policy Analysis, one cannot rely on assumptions alone. Programs must be built on evidence, not guesswork. At Divine Word University, we conducted an online survey to test the demand for such a program. The results, with 232 respondents , confirmed that there is both strong interest and urgent need for postgraduate training in this field. The survey reached a wide cross-section of Papua New Guineans: 101 students, 57 public servants, 43 academics, and 31 private sector professionals . This mix reflects the reality that foreign policy is not the exclusive preserve of diplomats. It cuts across sectors—from government and education to business and civil society. The fact that interest came from every corner demonstrates that a postgraduate program in foreign policy would serve a genuinely national constituency. One of the strongest findings was the age profile of respondents. The 25–34 age group made up 111 participants , nearly half of th...

The forthcoming launch of PNG’s new Foreign Policy White Paper should be a landmark moment in our diplomatic history. Yet, for me as an international relations academic, there is something deeply unsettling. I work at a university that has taught international relations for more than a decade, producing graduates who now serve across the public sector. Many of our alumni have gone directly into the Department of Foreign Affairs, with at least three currently working in the Foreign Policy Coordination Office. And yet, neither the university nor myself—as an academic shaping the very minds that will implement this White Paper—was consulted or given sight of the draft prepared by the eminent persons group. I first taught the unit IR428 Foreign Policy in PNG on my own, and for the last four years Mr. Lahui Ako and I have been co-teaching it online—combining academic insight with practitioner experience to strengthen foreign policy education in PNG. This raises a legitimate question: does...

If I were given the opportunity to review the Australia–PNG Defence Treaty, I would approach it through the lens of national security and strategic autonomy. This treaty is being hailed as a historic milestone, but as an IR academic, my responsibility would be to go beyond the celebratory rhetoric and ask whether it truly makes PNG more secure, sovereign, and strategically resilient. My main argument is simple: the treaty must be measured not by its symbolism, but by how well it protects PNG’s interests across eight key dimensions. The first area I would examine is strategic alignment . Any defence arrangement must sit within PNG’s own guiding documents—our National Security Policy, Defence White Paper, and the forthcoming Foreign Policy White Paper. The core question is whether the treaty strengthens PNG’s long-term security under Vision 2050 and MTDP IV, or whether it primarily anchors us into Australia’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Without alignment, we risk fighting someone else’s batt...

PNG’s National Schools of Excellence Policy 2020 represents one of the most ambitious reforms in the country’s education system. At its core, the policy recognizes that STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics—is central to national development, global competitiveness, and long-term economic resilience . By upgrading National High Schools and select secondary schools into Schools of Excellence, the government aims to produce a generation of Papua New Guineans equipped to innovate, invent, and solve complex problems in a rapidly changing world. Cover of PNG’s National Schools of Excellence Policy 2020 , issued by the Department of Education to drive STEM-focused reforms and nurture the country’s future innovators. The policy is rooted in broader national visions. PNG’s Vision 2050 , Development Strategic Plan 2030 , and Medium-Term Development Plans all emphasize the creation of a skilled workforce capable of driving a blended economy—combining extractive industries, se...

PNG’s evolving security relationships have begun to converge in a way few predicted. With the Defence Treaty now signed with Australia and deepening diplomatic ties with Israel, Port Moresby faces a pivotal decision: should PNG sign a similar Defence Treaty with Israel, or settle for a structured cooperation framework? Recent statements such as “Israel is happy to help PNG” on the The National and past reports of security partnerships with Israel mentioned on PNG Facts sharpen this question. The Christian identity of PNG plays a far greater role than mere symbolism. Many in the country view Israel not only through a religious lens but as a partner whose values they share. Serving alongside the Israel Defense Forces, should a treaty be agreed, would not contradict PNG’s spiritual or moral foundations but reinforce them. Combined with a Defence Treaty with Australia, it could cement PNG’s identity as a Western-aligned, values-driven nation. Yet distance and geopolitics complicate the...

PNG has positioned itself as one of Israel’s most loyal partners in the Pacific, both symbolically and diplomatically. In recent years, PNG has repeatedly voted with Israel at the United Nations, standing in the minority against resolutions that supported Palestinian statehood, called for ceasefires in Gaza, or condemned Israel’s military actions. At the same time, PNG took the bold step of opening an embassy in Jerusalem, a move that placed it firmly in Israel’s corner on one of the most contentious issues in global diplomacy. These gestures, though costly in terms of international perception, signal PNG’s commitment to its relationship with Israel and create a legitimate expectation of tangible benefits in return. Prime Minister James Marape with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the official opening of PNG’s Embassy in Jerusalem — a landmark moment underscoring PNG’s loyal support for Israel on the global stage. The United Nations voting record highlights PNG’s consist...