Security ties to strengthen

 THE Papua New Guinea and Australian governments have agreed to continue the close partnership on security and strategic issues, trade and investment, and strengthening regionalism in the Pacific region. 

This was made known at the 24th Australia-PNG Ministerial Forum joint communique at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, last Thursday. 

The forum was co-chaired by Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop and her PNG counterpart Rimbink Pato. 

Bishop and Pato signed a new aid partnership and reaffirmed that the bilateral relationship was based on mutual respect, equality and a commitment to meeting shared objectives.

The new aid partnership reflected the two governments’ ongoing commitment to mutual respect for sovereignty and mutual benefit from development cooperation.

Bishop and Pato welcomed the aid partnership’s continued focus on PNG’s development priorities on Health and HIV/AIDS, governance, education, law and justice and transport infrastructure.

They also agreed undertake a baseline study on border and maritime security processes.

It was also announced that Australia would provide two helicopters to the PNGDF Air Transport Wing under the Defence Cooperation Program for a further three years.

PNG requested Australia to expand the seasonal workers’ programme to include skilled and semi-skilled workers who were trained by Australian accredited specialised training institutions.

This included the Australia-Pacific Technical College where opportunities existed for employment in specialised care of the elderly, child, disability and community care.