Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on September 15, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleAustralia's PM Albanese is in PNG to sign a defence treaty, elevating ties to a US-level security alliance. The treaty marks PNG's 50th independence anniversary.
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, arriving in Papua New Guinea on Monday, said he expects to sign a defence treaty on Wednesday that lifts ties with Australia's closest Pacific neighbour to the equivalent of its security alliance with the United States.
Papua New Guinea marks 50 years of independence from Australia on Tuesday.
Albanese said a mutual defence treaty to be signed on Wednesday will increase interoperability between the two militaries and will be a symbol of Papua New Guinea looking to the future.
"It's an upgrade in our security relationship to a treaty level, to the sort of level that we have with the United States and our important allies," Albanese said in a television interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The United States struck a defence pact with Papua New Guinea in 2023, amid concern over China's security ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.
Albanese will travel to New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly, where he is seeking a first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Albanese will attend a reception hosted by Trump on Tuesday in New York, although a bilateral meeting between the leaders is yet to be scheduled, he said in a separate radio interview with ABC.
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
PM Albanese's visit aims to sign a mutual defence treaty that will enhance military interoperability and signify Papua New Guinea's forward-looking approach.
Papua New Guinea marks its 50 years of independence from Australia on the day following Albanese's arrival.
Albanese stated that the treaty represents an upgrade in Australia's security relationship with Papua New Guinea, comparable to the level of treaties Australia has with the United States and other key allies.
In 2023, the United States established a defence pact with Papua New Guinea, reflecting concerns over China's security ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region.
Following his visit to Papua New Guinea, Albanese will travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, where he hopes to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump.
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