Bougainville's quest for independence from Papua New Guinea is inching closer with both governments endorsing a key document last Friday.
At the Joint Supervisory Body meeting in Port Moresby both governments committed to the Era Kone Covenant.
This agreement is based on consultations with PNG since the government of Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama came to power in 2020.
Ishmael Toroama and James Marape Photo: PNG PM Media
The Era Kone Covenant lays out how the independence referendum results will be tabled in the national parliament, and the manner in which that institution may ratify the results.
Mr Toroama has commended the national government for its unwavering support to the Bougainville peace process.
He says, through the consultations, both governments together have "developed a decisive path on the future political status of Bougainville."
Mr Toroama says this includes a timeline - not before 2025 and no later than 2027) - and a roadmap for the ratification of the referendum results in the national parliament.
PNG Prime Minister James Marape reaffirmed his government's commitment to the outcomes.
He gave his assurance to the people of Bougainville that his government will continue to work within the spirit of the peace agreement.
"We've established a pathway that we should work towards and we on the national government side, I just want to assure Bougainville that it doesn't matter who sits in this chair in 3 months' time, the work for Bougainville has been set and the work we have set will continue on," Mr Marape said.
This work will include drafting a constitutional regulation that outlines how the referendum results will be brought into parliament.
The Era Kone Covenant also binds both governments to ensure the outcomes of the three joint inter-government consultations are tabled in the 11th parliament sometime in 2023.
This will include a report briefing the 11th parliament on its role in giving effect to s342 of the national constitution on referendum results and implementation.
