Overview

• Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles gave the Nakamal Agreement the go-ahead at a ceremony on Tanna, marking the final ministerial approval stage.
• The AU$500 million package will be disbursed over roughly a decade to bolster infrastructure, security ties, climate resilience and labour mobility in Vanuatu.
• Formal signature by Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Jotham Napat is expected in September, triggering detailed implementation planning.
• Officials say the pact will enhance bilateral security cooperation mechanisms while funding projects from Port Vila’s earthquake recovery to sustainable development.
• Canberra presents the agreement as a strategic response to growing Chinese influence in the Pacific and part of its broader regional engagement strategy.