Secretary of State Anthony Blinken signed a defense cooperation agreement with Papua New Guinea on Monday. According to the head of the American diplomacy, the treaty will expand the capabilities of this Pacific island nation and simplify the joint training of the armed forces of the United States and Papua New Guinea.
During a meeting with Papua New Guinean Prime Minister James Marape, Blinken said the United States would deepen its partnership with his country at all levels. During the meeting, topics of economic development, the climate crisis, and the importance of continued U.S. engagement in the Pacific region were discussed. This is stated in the message from the State Department.
“Defense cooperation was conceived by the United States and Papua New Guinea as equal and sovereign partners,” Blinken said during the signing ceremony.
Blinken said the agreement will strengthen Papua New Guinea’s defense capabilities, including strengthening humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and facilitating joint training of the two countries’ armed forces.
“It will be completely transparent,” added the head of the State Department.
A separate agreement will bolster maritime surveillance of Papua New Guinea’s Exclusive Economic Zone with US Coast Guard patrols, protecting its economy from illegal fishing.
Blinken said corporate partnerships will bring tens of billions of dollars in new investment to Papua New Guinea.
President Joe Biden expressed his “regret that he couldn’t come,” Blinken added. Biden was forced to cancel his trip to the country due to debt ceiling talks in Washington.
Prime Minister Marape said the deal would increase economic security by giving Papua New Guinea’s defense forces “the ability to know what’s going on in its waters, which we haven’t had since 1975. “.
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