Vanuatu and Australia sign deal to bar foreign military bases
Vanuatu and Australia have signed a security agreement that bars foreign military bases in the Pacific nation, Nikkei Asia reports. The deal comes amid an intensifying contest for influence in the region.
According to Nikkei Asia, the agreement signed between Vanuatu and Australia bars the establishment of foreign military bases in the Pacific island nation. The text also deepens security and development cooperation between the two countries.
The deal coincides with a period in which major powers have accelerated their competition for influence in the Pacific. Australia is prioritising the strengthening of its partnerships in the region.
Vanuatu officials stress that the agreement protects their sovereignty and security. Whether other Pacific nations move toward similar arrangements is being watched closely.
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