The United States of America and Papua New Guinea have signed the Defence Cooperation Agreement amidst growing concerns that this agreement encroaches into the country’s sovereignty.
Yesterday evening US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and PNG’s Minister for Defence Win Daki put pen to paper, giving way to the US to increase military presence in the country and the Pacific, as China and the US compete for influence in the region.
Prime Minister James Marape assured Papua New Guineans that all aspects of the DCA will be made available to the public through a Parliamentary Statement that he will make.
“I am working to release the agreement for public knowledge, and on Thursday this week we will send the State Solicitor and Foreign Affairs and Defence Secretaries, to go through the DCA with students and interest groups to ensure they are informed correctly.”
Yesterday, as the 3rd Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation was underway, students from various tertiary institutions around the country halted classes to protest the signing.
Leader of Opposition Joseph Lelang shared their concerns.
“I can assure our people that their leaders in the Opposition will consider the legal implications of the agreements when presented in Parliament and debate and vote to uphold our national interest in keeping with our Constitution and laws,” Lelang expressed in a media statement his office released yesterday.
A draft of the DCA, leaked to media last week, sparked concerns of the extent of US military involvement, including giving US personnel legal immunity on land and sea among other requirements.
However, Prime Minister Marape maintains that this agreement will add value to and strengthen the economy going into the future.
“We are elevating from what used to be a generic relationship under the 1989 Status of Force Agreement (SOFA) to a specific relationship with the United States people, government and defence force
“Papua New Guinea has a Visiting Forces Act of 1975 which allows for these agreements to be entered into,” he said.
According to the US Department of State, the DCA also enables the United States to be more responsive in emergency situations, such as those involving humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. It also enables PNG to participate in the U.S. Coast Guard’s Shiprider program, enhancing PNG’s organic enforcement capabilities, and improving overall maritime domain awareness.