PAPUA NEW GUINEA AND AUSTRALIA HELD 30TH JOIN ADVISORY COUNCIL (JAC) MEETING
Picture: Officials from both sides during the meeting on July 28th, 2023 at Loloata Island Resort in Central Province.
Papua New Guinea and Australia has concluded the 30th Join Advisory Council (JAC) meeting that discussed the cross-border issues of the traditional inhabitant communities of Torress Strait and emphasized on the key areas of engagement on issues presented by the Traditional Inhabitant Communities Representatives of both countries.
The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Kapi Maro, Deputy Secretary (operations) Department of Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea and Mr. Bassim Blazey, Assistant Secretary, PNG Political and Strategy Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia on July 28th, 2023 at Loloata Island Resort in Central Province, Papua New Guinea.
Attending the meeting were JAC members including national, state and provincial representatives, and Traditional Inhabitants representatives from PNG and Australia. Importantly, co-chaired reflected on the successful resumption of traditional visits following the reopening of the boarder on 19 October 2022. The JAC has committed to focus on compliance issues within Treaty-communities on both sides and to continue to address issues raised by Traditional Inhabitant leaders.
The meeting also acknowledged the Traditional Inhabitant Meeting (TIM) which was held earlier on the 27th July 2022 and endorsed the Outcome Reports table by the TIM-Co-Chairs in which the JAC has noted the updates by TIM Co-Chairs of both PNG and Australia.
JAC emphasized on key areas of engagement and development objectives that has to be prioritized in the Cross-border areas specifically Torress Strait. These areas of priorities include; Treaty Implementation, Management and the Resumption of Traditional Visits; Cross Boarder and Law Enforcement; Health; and Development Assistance; fisheries; Environment/Climate Change and Biosecurity and Maritime Safety.
The Torress Straight is known as a home to Australia’s oldest people-to-people links with Papua New Guinea, and the Torress Strait Treaty is an early hallmark of first nation’s diplomacy. It is emblematic of our shared history and the closeness of our land.
