Australia–Vanuatu ‘Nakamal Agreement’ Signals Pacific Security Gains, Sovereignty Limits
Australia and Vanuatu signed the Nakamal Agreement, establishing Canberra as Port Vila’s primary security partner while replacing proposed third-party investment restraints with a consultation mechanism. The pact strengthens cooperation across policing, maritime security, disaster response, and capacity-building, but highlights Pacific states’ insistence on sovereignty and non-exclusivity amid strategic competition.