Australia and Vanuatu have agreed to a high-profile pact over the next 10 years, focused on enhancing security and economic relations, worth A$500m ($328m; £241m). The agreement, known as the Nakamal agreement, marks the culmination of prolonged negotiations and is set to significantly transform the relationship between the two countries, as their leaders have confidently stated.
“Consider us family,” declared Richard Marles, Australia’s deputy prime minister, adding, “Our future is intertwined.” Meanwhile, Vanuatu’s leader, Jotham Napat, hailed the deal as a “mutually beneficial” situation for both nations.
Although the Australian government withheld further specifics about the deal, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that it will include funding for the construction of two significant data centers in Port Vila, the capital, and Santo, Vanuatu’s largest island. Additionally, the agreement will provide significant financial assistance to address the impacts of climate change and bolster the country’s security.
In earlier stages of the talks, visa-free travel for Vanuatu’s citizens was discussed and was deemed a crucial aspect of the deal. Nevertheless, Napat informed the press that this matter would be addressed in a separate agreement, whose details still remain uncertain.
A similar agreement was previously abandoned in 2022 when Vanuatu’s former prime minister pulled out at the last minute due to concerns about security, according to the ABC.
During a press conference on Tanna island, one of the 80-plus volcanic islands within the Vanuatu archipelago, Marles emphasized the “shared future” of the two countries, acknowledging that as neighbors, they have a shared security environment and a commitment to each other.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong of Australia underscored the deal’s long-term implications, saying, “The most crucial aspect of this deal is our position in three, five, and ten years from now.”
Vanuatu’s prime minister Napat stated that the agreement will offer numerous benefits to both countries, including security guarantees, economic transformation, and enhanced focus on mobile labor mobility and financial support.
This week’s agreement follows similar security pacts that Australia has recently signed with several other Pacific neighbors. In December, Australia reached a new A$190m security deal with the Solomon Islands, with comparable agreements already in place with Tuvalu and Papua New Guinea.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8ry0l045myo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
