Arabic version: قوة الدفاع الأسترالية تفتح باب التجنيد لطلاب من بابوا غينيا الجديدة ضمن تجربة بقيمة 65 مليون دولار
According to ABC News, the Australian Defence Force will open recruitment to Papua New Guinean university students next month through a $65 million trial linked to the Pukpuk Treaty between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
The pilot program is intended to recruit 100 young Papua New Guineans over two years, with the first successful applicants expected to be sworn in by late 2027. Recruits will initially enlist on temporary visas and will eventually need Australian citizenship to remain in the ADF.
Applications are due to open on November 16 for students and recent graduates of the University of Papua New Guinea and Pacific Adventist University in Port Moresby and Lae. Applicants must be aged 18 to 25 and must not have previously served in PNG’s military, police force or government security institutions.
Applicants will face the same security requirements and standards as Australian citizens seeking to join the ADF. Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the smaller initial intake would help establish processes before any expansion designed to provide enduring value for both countries.
The treaty, which entered into force in July, permits each country to recruit the other’s citizens and requires the neighbours to defend one another in the event of a military attack. PNG citizens with Australian permanent residency were recently included in ADF eligibility, with 40 applications being processed.
