Australia, Vanuatu Sign Deal Barring Foreign Military Base on Pacific Island

Australia and Vanuatu have signed a significant economic and security pact that explicitly prohibits the establishment of any foreign military base on the Pacific island. This agreement comes amid heightened strategic competition between China and US allies in the region, with Australia expressing concerns about Beijing's potential pursuit of a permanent security presence.

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What this does do is to provide certainty for Australia that there will be no foreign military base.

The Nakamal Agreement, as it is known, commits Australia to providing greater economic assistance to Vanuatu, which faces significant debt to China, its largest external creditor. Crucially, it bars any foreign military power from establishing a base on Vanuatu's territory. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the deal provides "certainty for Australia that there will be no foreign military base."

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We have concluded a balanced agreement that will protect our collective and individual security and our sovereignty.

Vanuatu's Prime Minister Jotham Napat described the agreement as "balanced," aimed at protecting both collective and individual security and sovereignty. He noted that Vanuatu has already enacted legislation preventing the militarization of its critical infrastructure. The agreement further designates Australia as Vanuatu's "longstanding primary policing partner," prioritizing policing requests to other Pacific Islands Forum members.

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As a country, we have in fact passed an act in parliament not to allow any militarization to actually be used for our critical infrastructure.

This treaty is the latest in a series of measures by Australia to counter China's expanding security influence in the Pacific. Beijing has previously funded infrastructure projects in Vanuatu, including the expansion of a wharf in Luganville, which fueled concerns in Canberra and Washington about potential naval base intentions. China also established policing ties with Vanuatu in 2023, donating equipment and training to its police force. Despite this agreement, Vanuatu continues separate economic negotiations with China, and analysts suggest the contest for influence in the region will persist, given Vanuatu's tradition of non-alignment.

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To reinforce Pacific collective security and sovereignty Vanuatu shall not permit its territory to be used for any foreign military base or infrastructure.