After months of negotiations, legal reviews, and political changes in Port Vila that extended the timeline considerably, Australia and Vanuatu have formally signed the Pukpuk Treaty a bilateral security agreement that both governments are describing as a partnership built on mutual respect rather than military dependency. The name itself is telling. Pukpuk means crocodile in several Pacific languages an animal associated with strength, protection, and resilience. That framing wasn’t accidental. Both sides wanted an agreement that felt distinctly Pacific rather than something imposed from outside. What they’ve produced is a…
Read MoreAustralia and Vanuatu Sign the Pukpuk Treaty And the Pacific Is Paying Attention
