Foreign relations of Papua New Guinea

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Papua New Guinea's foreign policy reflects close ties with Australia and other traditional allies and cooperative relations with neighboring countries. Its views on international political and economic issues are generally moderate.

APEC 2018 in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea belongs to a variety of regional organizations, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum; the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) (Papua New Guinea is an observer member of the ASEAN); the South Pacific Commission; the Pacific Islands Forum; the Melanesian Spearhead Group and the South Pacific Regional Environmental Program (SPREP).

Papua New Guinea has been a member of The Forum of Small States (FOSS) since the group's founding in 1992.[1]

Diplomatic relations

List of countries which Papua New Guinea maintains diplomatic relations with:

More information #, Country ...
# Country Date
1 Australia 16 September 1975[2]
2 United Kingdom 16 September 1975[2]
3 Indonesia 16 September 1975[2]
4 New Zealand 16 September 1975[2]
5 Fiji 16 September 1975[2]
6 Philippines 16 September 1975[2]
7 United States 16 September 1975[2]
8 Japan 16 September 1975[2]
9 Thailand 14 May 1976[2]
10 Russia 19 May 1976[2]
11 Romania 19 May 1976[2]
12 Singapore 19 May 1976[2]
13 South Korea 19 May 1976[2]
14 India 19 May 1976[2]
15 Mexico 19 May 1976[2]
16 Serbia 23 May 1976[2]
17 North Korea 1 June 1976[2]
18  Switzerland 2 June 1976[2]
19 Mongolia 16 June 1976[2]
20 France 22 June 1976[2]
21 Austria 24 June 1976[2]
22 Malaysia 12 July 1976[2]
23 Canada 9 August 1976[2]
24 Norway 9 August 1976[3]
25 Chile 23 August 1976[2]
26 Netherlands 25 August 1976[2]
27 Germany 16 September 1976[2]
28 Belgium 16 September 1976[2]
29 Pakistan 4 October 1976[4]
30 China 12 October 1976[2]
31 Portugal 15 October 1976[2]
32 Sweden 10 November 1976[2]
33 Hungary 15 January 1977[5]
34 Greece January 1977[6][7]
— Holy See 7 March 1977[2]
35 Ghana 22 August 1977[8]
36 Iraq 27 August 1977[9]
37 Finland 31 August 1977[10]
38 Luxembourg 15 October 1977[11]
39 Denmark February 1978[12]
40 Poland 10 February 1978[13]
41 Cyprus 20 April 1978[14]
42 Costa Rica 28 April 1978[15]
43 Israel 1 May 1978[16]
44 Solomon Islands 17 August 1978[17]
45 Spain 28 August 1978[18]
46 Argentina 6 November 1978[19]
47 Italy 30 April 1979[20]
48 Turkey 30 May 1979[21]
49 Samoa 27 August 1979[22]
50 Tuvalu January 1980[23]
51 Tanzania 29 March 1980[24][25]
52 Vanuatu 30 July 1980[26]
53 Nigeria August 1982[27]
54 Tonga August 1982[27]
55 Sri Lanka 17 November 1982[28]
56 Kiribati Before 1982[29]
57 Bangladesh 20 June 1983[30]
58 Peru 14 September 1983[31]
59 Brunei 1 May 1984[32]
60 Colombia 2 March 1988[19]
61 Zimbabwe May 1988[33]
62 Marshall Islands 21 September 1988[34]
63 Federated States of Micronesia 21 September 1988[35]
64 Czech Republic 20 October 1988[36]
65 Maldives 22 December 1988[19]
66 Nauru 1988[37]
67 Brazil 27 April 1989[19]
68 Cuba 13 October 1989[38][39]
69 Vietnam 3 November 1989[40]
70 Laos 6 April 1990[19]
71 Namibia 30 April 1990[19]
72 Venezuela 1 January 1991[41]
73 Jamaica 16 April 1991[42]
74 Myanmar 24 July 1991[19]
75 Albania 28 August 1991[43]
76 Palau 1 October 1994[44]
77 South Africa 7 October 1994[19]
— State of Palestine 13 January 1995[19]
78 Kuwait 5 April 1995[45]
— Cook Islands 1995[46]
79 Panama 3 May 1996[19]
80 Cambodia 7 October 1996[19]
81 Croatia 5 December 1997[19]
82 Slovakia 29 October 1999[47]
83 Timor-Leste 19 July 2002[48]
84 Iceland 12 August 2004[19]
85 Slovenia 9 February 2010[49]
86 Botswana 2010[50]
87   Nepal 12 April 2013[51]
— Niue 9 December 2014[52]
88 Egypt 19 May 2016[53]
89 Paraguay 21 September 2016[19]
90 Estonia 4 October 2016[54]
91 Georgia 4 October 2016[55]
92 Qatar 22 February 2017[19]
93 United Arab Emirates 22 March 2017[19]
94 Malta 6 October 2017[56]
95 Latvia 9 May 2018[19]
96 Morocco 28 September 2018[57]
97 Ireland 26 October 2020[58]
98 Nicaragua 17 February 2023[19]
99 Kazakhstan 24 March 2023[19]
100 Azerbaijan 5 May 2023[19]
101 Bahrain 1 June 2023[19]
102 Bulgaria 14 February 2025[19]
103 Kyrgyzstan 23 September 2025[59]
104 Ukraine 25 September 2025[60]
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Bilateral relations

Americas

More information Country, Formal Relations Began ...
Country Formal Relations Began Notes
Canada9 August 1976
  • Canada is accredited to Papua New Guinea from its High Commission in Canberra, Australia.[61]
  • Papua New Guinea is accredited to Canada from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.[62]
Cuba13 October 1989

In the late 2000s, Papua New Guinea began to strengthen its relations with Cuba. Cuba provides medical aid to the country.[63] In September 2008, a PNG government representative attended the first Cuba-Pacific Islands ministerial meeting in Havana, aimed at "strengthening cooperation" between Cuba and Pacific Island countries, notably in coping with the effects of climate change.[64]

Mexico19 May 1976See Mexico–Papua New Guinea relations
  • Mexico is accredited to Papua New Guinea from its embassy in Canberra, Australia.[65]
  • Papua New Guinea is accredited to Mexico from its embassy in Washington, D.C., United States.[62]
United States16 September 1975See Papua New Guinea–United States relations

The U.S. and Papua New Guinea are signatories to the U.S.-Pacific Islands Multilateral Tuna Fisheries Treaty, under which the U.S. grants $63 million per year to Pacific Island parties and the latter provide access for U.S. fishing vessels. The U.S. also supports Papua New Guinea's efforts to protect biodiversity; the International Coral Reef Initiative is aimed at protecting reefs in tropical nations such as Papua New Guinea.

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Asia

More information Country, Formal Relations Began ...
Country Formal Relations Began Notes
China12 October 1976See China–Papua New Guinea relations

The Independent State of Papua New Guinea and the People's Republic of China (PRC) established official diplomatic relations in 1976, soon after Papua New Guinea became independent. The two countries currently maintain diplomatic, economic and, to a lesser degree, military relations. Relations are cordial; China is a significant provider of both investments and development aid to Papua New Guinea.

Cyprus20 April 1978
India19 May 1976See India-Papua New Guinea Relations
  • India has a High Commission in Port Moresby.[68]
  • Papua New Guinea maintains a High Commission in New Delhi.[69]
Indonesia16 September 1975See Indonesia–Papua New Guinea relations

Western New Guinea (which consists of six Indonesian provinces: Papua, West Papua, Central Papua, Highland Papua, South Papua, and Southwest Papua) and Papua New Guinea share a 760-kilometre (470 mi) border that has raised tensions and ongoing diplomatic issues over many decades.[70] Indonesia is represented in Papua New Guinea with an embassy in Port Moresby and a consulate in Vanimo. Reciprocally, Papua New Guinea has an Ambassador in Jakarta and a Consul-General in Jayapura.

Japan16 September 1975

Diplomatic relations between Japan and Papua New Guinea were established on 16 September 1975, the date Papua-New Guinea became independent. Japan maintains an embassy at Port Moresby. Papua-New Guinea is currently the largest recipient of Japanese foreign aid in the Pacific. Ministerial level visits are frequent between the two countries.[71] Reciprocally, Papua New Guinea has an embassy in Tokyo.

Kuwait 5 April 1995 Diplomatic relations between both countries established 5 April 1995 when first Ambassador of Kuwait to Papua New Guinea with residence in Tokyo Mr.Suhail K. Shuhaiber presented his credentials to Governor General of Papua New Guinea Sir Wiwa Korowi.[45]
Philippines16 September 1975

In March 2009, The Philippines and Papua New Guinea entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would enhance the cooperation between the two countries on the development of fisheries. The MoU will facilitate technology transfer in aquaculture development, promotion of shipping ventures, investments, technical training, joint research, and "strategic complementation" of each country's plans in the "Coral Triangle" – or the waters between the Philippines, Indonesia, and the Pacific Islands.[72] In the same year, Papua New Guinea asked the Philippines for help in its pursuit of membership to ASEAN.[73][74]

South Korea19 May 1976See Papua New Guinea–South Korea relations.

The Independent State of Papua New Guinea and the Republic of Korea established diplomatic relations on 19 May 1976.[75]

  • Papua New Guinea and South Korea have good relations.
    • Papua New Guinean embassy in Seoul.[76]
    • South Korean embassy in Port Moresby.[77]
  • South Koreans of Long-Term Residents in Papua New Guinea was about around 201 in 2019.
Turkey30 May 1979[78]
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Europe

More information Country, Formal Relations Began ...
Country Formal Relations Began Notes
France22 June 1976See France–Papua New Guinea relations

Official diplomatic relations were established in 1976. Papua New Guinea is a member of the United Nations' Special Committee on Decolonization. The French government has noted what it calls Port Moresby's "moderate" attitude on the issue of the decolonisation of New Caledonia - which, like Papua New Guinea, is located in Melanesia.[80] The French National Assembly maintains a Friendship Group with Papua New Guinea.

Poland10 February 1978See Papua New Guinea–Poland relations.
Serbia23 May 1976

Both countries have established diplomatic relations in 1976.[81] Papua New Guinea recognized Kosovo as independent from 3 October 2012 until withdrawing its recognition on 5 July 2018.

Spain28 August 1978See Papua New Guinea–Spain relations.
  • Papua New Guinea is accredited to Spain from its embassy in Brussels, Belgium.
  • Spain is accredited to Papua New Guinea from its embassy in Canberra, Australia.
United Kingdom16 September 1975See Papua New Guinea–United Kingdom relations
Papua New Guinean Prime Minister James Marape with British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly in Port Moresby, April 2023.

Papua New Guinea established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 16 September 1975.[82] Both countries are Commonwealth Realms.

The UK governed Papua New Guinea from 1884 until 1906, when the territory was transferred to Australia.

Both countries share common membership of the Commonwealth, the International Criminal Court, the United Nations, and the World Trade Organization, as well as the Pacific States–United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement,[85] Bilaterally the two countries have a Double Taxation Convention.,[86] an Investment Agreement.[87] and a Security Agreement,[88]

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Oceania

More information Country, Formal Relations Began ...
Country Formal Relations Began Notes
Australia16 September 1975See Australia–Papua New Guinea relations

Relations with Australia were strained in 2006 when Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare was accused of having facilitated Julian Moti's escape to the Solomon Islands.[89] Moti was wanted in Australia for serious alleged child sex offences. In retaliation, the Australian government banned Somare from entering Australia; all talks between Canberra and Port Moresby were suspended. In September 2007, relations began to thaw,[90] and in December 2007, the new Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, met Sir Michael in Bali. Rudd announced what appears to be a normalisation of relations: "This relationship has been through a very difficult period in recent times. There has in effect been a freeze on ministerial contact between the two governments. I do not believe that's an appropriate way for the future."[91]

Fiji16 September 1975

As of November 2005, relations with Pacific neighbor Fiji have been strained by revelations that a number of Fijian mercenaries have been operating illegally on the island of Bougainville, arming and training a rebel militia. Both Fiji and Papua New Guinea are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

New Zealand16 September 1975See New Zealand–Papua New Guinea relations
  • New Zealand has a High Commission in Port Moresby.[94]
  • Papua New Guinea has a High Commission in Willis Street, Te Aro, Wellington.[95]
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Papua New Guinea and the Commonwealth of Nations

Papua New Guinea has been a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations since 1975, when it gained independence from Australia under the terms of the Australian Parliament's Papua New Guinea Independence Act 1975.

See also

References

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