Papua New Guinea’s foreign policy priorities

By KARABUSPALAU KAIKU 

Officials from the Papua New Guinea Department of Foreign Affairs have been tasked to come up with a revised PNG foreign policy. Whilst this is welcomed development, there are issues that need to be thrashed out. For instance, how different is this new policy from previous foreign policy statements? What is the timeframe considered in the proposed foreign policy? What variables are considered in the framing of this foreign policy? And what specifically is PNG seeking to elicit from its foreign relations with the international community?

We know that PNG is situated in the Asia-Pacific region. This region of the world is considered to be the most dynamic region in global economic and political transformations. The Asia-Pacific is also where geo-political maneuverings has gained significant attention in recent decades. As the realization of the “Asian Century” provides the guide for other countries in the region to outline their foreign policy orientations, PNG should look beyond the Asian Century as the impetus to develop its foreign relations.

Defining our core values

How PNG engages with the wider international community is dependent on how its policy-makers and government project the key interests of PNG in the wider international arena. The key step in developing PNG’s foreign policy is to define PNG’s core national values. What does the Independent State of PNG bring to the international arena? What makes PNG distinct from the rest of the other 200 plus sovereign states in the international system? There are two fundamental reasons why PNG needs to clearly articulate its core values when relating to the international community.

Firstly, a core set of values give permanence to foreign-policy making in this country. A core set of values should be unaltered by the vicissitudes of political drama that happens in the politics of this country. When executive governments change in PNG, these set of core values continue to exist to define our ongoing interactions with the external environment. A core set of values transcends beyond the day-to-day politics of PNG. It gives a sense of predictability on where PNG stands on issues affecting its national interests.

Since political Independence, PNG has had a long procession of foreign policy statements that have been ambiguous and ad-hoc – reflected in most instances of the personalities of the political leaders that defined them. The result is a tendency to be content with the status quo. Little wonder the foreign policy actors in this country remain less ambitious than ever. It is so obvious that foreign policy and the field of foreign diplomacy in PNG is still an undeveloped and unsophisticated profession in this country.

Secondly; a core set of national values determines how we prioritize our interactions with multilateral and bilateral partners and how we seek to maximize our national interests from these interactions. Whilst the present government is happy to align itself and continue the established relationships with “traditional partners”, there is also a need to be ambitious. The development of PNG’s foreign policy should reflect on our specific values and the practical needs of this country. Some of these needs and priorities of PNG are not necessarily shared by the “traditional partners” of PNG.
How national values define national interests

PNG is an evolving political democracy, where the “people” are rightfully at the centre of its development aspirations. PNG seeks to empower its citizens to participate meaningfully in a globalized system and its projects itself as a nation-state seeking to openly and respectfully engage with its neighbours. PNG’s peaceful co-existence with its neighbors is essential for its own benefit. However peaceful co-existence should not limit PNG from demonstrating its independence, or taking up a cause that it perceives is the moral thing to do.

For instance, as a Melanesian state, PNG must speak up against human rights abuses in West Papua. As a post-colonial nation-state, PNG must have a position on the question of self-determination and the unfinished business of colonialism in other parts of the world. Papua New Guinean leaders complain hysterically when the perceived “sovereignty” of PNG is breached. Yet there is minimal scrutiny of the abuse of PNG’s sovereignty by multinational corporations in PNG. In fact political leaders and bureaucrats collude to diminish the sovereignty of PNG through their intertwined relationships with foreign interests. What I am hinting at is that the national values of PNG give a certain sense of direction and consistency about the positions we take when we interact with players in the international arena and the priority areas we consider when making foreign policy choices.

Let me give an example of how a national value system can inform pragmatic foreign policy thinking. Let us take economic self-sufficiency as a core a core value in our existence as a nation-state. How would this translate into foreign policy choices?

If we talk about inclusive development and the empowerment of Papua New Guineans to participate meaningfully in the development of their country, an obvious priority sector is agriculture. The agriculture sector is where more than 80 percent of Papua New Guineans rely on. The establishment of bilateral exchange programs, targeting the development of the skills and expertise of Papua New Guineans therefore becomes a priority for our government. We seek out development partners who have relative experience in the agricultural sector, for instance.

A case in point is Vietnam who is presently a key producer of coffee. Vietnam has consistently been the major global coffee producer in the global market. Vietnam has a comparative advantage in the technical skills in the production of coffee. Hence, PNG bilateral relations with Vietnam will enhance the national interest of PNG. Engaging with Vietnam through increased bilateral cooperation will open the door for Papua New Guineans to benefit from Vietnam’s revolutionary programs of agricultural development. Looking at very practical measures to engage with our partners will have a direct effect on PNG’s capacity to be self-sufficient.

Countries in the Middle-East and South-east Asian region are renowned for the rapid industrialization and modernization programs (of their economic base). These countries in the Middle-East and South-east Asia share the same developmental status and relatively similar challenges with PNG, especially the progression from agricultural-based economies to economies where the manufacturing sector is thriving. Such shared similarities can be the basis to deepen our relationship with these countries. Most of these countries will be viable partners with PNG in its realization of its developmental agendas.

Ultimately, engagement with partners in the international system translates into increased opportunities for Papua New Guineans to acquire a higher standard of living and find meaning in their contribution in the development of their country.