Australia and Vanuatu have signed a cyber security and defense agreement

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) reported on Tuesday that Australia and Vanuatu had signed a bilateral security agreement that called for cooperation in cybersecurity-related issues.

The agreement was signed during Penny Wong’s visit to the island nation as the Australian foreign minister following a significant ransomware attack in November. The attack left the government of the Pacific island in disarray; internal systems were totally unavailable, which had an impact on a variety of emergency services, in addition to schools and hospitals.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, representatives from the Australian Cybersecurity Centre helped the government of Vanuatu repair the systems after the attack. Strong diplomatic ties have always existed between the two nations.

According to DFAT, the agreement calls for cooperation in a number of fields, including humanitarian aid and disaster relief, environmental protection and resource security, maritime and aviation safety and security, as well as defense and law enforcement.

According to Australia’s deputy prime minister Richard Marles, it “reflects Australia and Vanuatu’s ongoing commitment to working together as members of the Pacific family to address shared security challenges.”

In order to compete with China, Australia has increased its diplomatic efforts in the region and is currently revising its own national security strategy in response to the ransomware attack on the Medibank health insurance company.

Beijing attempted to sign regional trade and security agreements with the 10 Pacific Island states it has diplomatic relations with in May, but ultimately failed to do so.

A sudden security agreement between China and the Solomon Islands in April caused a great deal of concern, especially the plans that would allow China to build a military base only 2,000 km from Australia.

Manasseh Sogavare, the prime minister of the Solomon Islands, emphasized that he would not permit a Chinese military base in his nation after the agreement was announced. “When it comes to security issues in the region, we will call on them [the Australians] first,” he said, adding that the agreement provided for the possibility of “a gap” in the types of security that Australia can offer.

Although a leaked draft of the agreement between China and the Solomon Islands was posted online, it revealed that China’s military and police would have extensive access to the islands. However, the specifics of the agreement have not been made public.

Given that both countries “are committed to democracy, accountability, and transparency,” Wong stated on Tuesday that Australia’s agreement with Vanuatu “will be made publicly available.”