Bougainville is today marking the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
Bougainvilleans queue for polling in the autonomous PNG region's historic independence referendum, 24 November 2019. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Johnny Blades
The agreement formally concluded the Bougainville Crisis and signified the end of hostilities with Papua New Guinea.
In a statement Bougainville's President, Ishmael Toroama, says the agreement set the foundation for peace and opened the way for Bougainville to pursue self-determination.
The agreement also provided for 2019's historic non-binding referendum in which an overwhelming majority of Bougainvilleans voted for independence.
The outcome of the referendum is subject to ratification by PNG's parliament, but first a gradual series of consultations about how to proceed with the result, involving both Bougainville and PNG governments, is taking place.
Toroama said the next several years were going to be critical with Bougainville having set a timeline of 2025 - 2027 for a final political settlement.
He thanked the PNG Prime Minister James Marape and his government for their continued commitment to the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
But Toroama said there were outstanding issues such as intergovernmental finance arrangements, the drawdown of powers and the joint autonomy review.
Photo: Supplied/ FB -Autonomous Bougainville Government
He said history had taught that peace by peaceful means has been the only answer for Bougainville's progress.
"Hence we must embrace the values and principles that promote peace not only for our time but a peace for all time to come on Bougainville."
