(Adnkronos) – It’s called the ‘Nakamal Agreement’. And it was designed because “we are a family” and “our future is closely linked”. The protagonists, Australia and Vanuatu. China, behind the scenes, but not too much. It is a pact designed to strengthen economic relations, but also security relations. And the agreement, the result of months of negotiations culminating in Australia’s commitment to ‘invest’ about $328 million in Vanuatu over ten years, is in the spotlight of the international media because the goal is to redefine relations between the two countries, in the face of Beijing’s clear ambitions.
The signing ceremony is scheduled for September. “We are a family,” said Richard Marles, deputy prime minister of an Australia aiming for greater influence in the region. Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Jotham Napat spoke of a “win-win situation for both countries”, certain that the agreement “will bring many benefits”, “whether it is the security agreement or the economic transformation”.
The mystery remains about most of the details. Australian authorities speak of a “revolutionary” pact. According to the Australian Abc, the agreement provides for Australia to channel funds into a number of sectors, including climate resilience, infrastructure, security and budget support.
According to the network, a visa waiver scheme is not on the table, but the announcement of the pact comes as Australia tries to counter Beijing’s attempts to establish itself as Vanuatu’s main trading and security partner, which has relied heavily on Chinese institutions to finance infrastructure projects.
A new presidential palace was among the latest ‘gifts’ from the Asian giant. Vanuatu, Asian media highlight, has always claimed a “non-aligned policy”, neither with the West nor with China, in the name of strategic flexibility.
