Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape and Timor-Leste President Dr. José Ramos-Horta has held high-level talks aimed at strengthening regional security cooperation and expanding higher education opportunities between the two countries.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of Vanuatu's 46th Independence celebrations, where the leaders discussed a proposal for Timor-Leste to contribute 200 defence personnel to support security during Papua New Guinea's 2027 National General Election. The proposal forms part of PNG's plan to establish a 1,000-member multinational election security and observation force, with 200 personnel each from Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Australia and New Zealand.
Prime Minister Marape said the Solomon Islands had already agreed to participate, adding that external support would help extend polling periods and provide a peaceful environment for citizens to cast their votes. He said a Cabinet submission would soon be finalised before formal requests are sent to participating countries.
The two leaders also discussed closer cooperation in higher education through a proposed joint scholarship programme. Under the initiative, Papua New Guinea would match Timor-Leste's funding on a dollar-for-dollar basis, allowing more Timorese students to study at PNG universities and technical institutions in fields such as law, mining engineering and tropical medicine. Prime Minister Marape said he hopes the discussions will lead to the signing of Memorandums of Understanding during his planned reciprocal visit to Timor-Leste, reaffirming PNG's commitment to supporting the country's future leaders through education.
The talks also covered regional political issues, including Bougainville and West Papua, while reaffirming the strong cultural and historical ties between the two nations. Prime Minister Marape said the growing partnership is underpinned by their shared Melanesian heritage, noting that an estimated 20 to 25 per cent of Timor-Leste's population has direct Melanesian-Papuan ancestry.
