Now that Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has been reelected, the stage is set for him to settle what he has called the biggest issue facing the country the future political status of Bougainville, an autonomous region seeking independence by 2027. Papua New Guinea is unlikely to let it secede, but Bougainville is unlikely to settle for anything less than full independence, and positive relations between the two governments will be of paramount importance in the coming years. Meanwhile, intensifying U.S.-China competition in the South Pacific creates wider implications for Bougainville’s potential independence.
Caribbean and South Pacific telecommunications company Digicel asked the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes to arbitrate a case involving Papua New Guinea's government after being hit by a nearly $100 million one-time tax on firms dominating the market.