PNG Parliament Expected to Decide on Bougainville Ratification in 2026

The Autonomous Bougainville Government says it remains confident that Papua New Guinea’s National Parliament will complete the long-awaited ratification of the 2019 referendum results in 2026, clearing the way for Bougainville’s transition toward independence.

Addressing the House of Representatives during the 2026 ABG budget sitting, President Ishmael Toroama told members that the ratification process is expected to align with the previously agreed 2027 timeline for Bougainville’s political future.

 PNG Parliament Expected to Decide on Bougainville Ratification in 2026

Bougainvilleans voted overwhelmingly for independence in the 2019 referendum, with 97.7 per cent supporting separation from PNG, but the outcome still requires formal endorsement through consultation and tabling in the National Parliament as provided under the Bougainville Peace Agreement.

President Toroama used the budget session to call on leaders to remain united as the region approaches a critical period, reminding members of the heavy human cost paid during the Bougainville conflict.

He said the independence process was not only a political matter but a moral obligation tied to the thousands of lives lost during the crisis, stressing that Bougainville’s leadership must stay focused on its agreed pathway.

The President also spoke about economic preparations for statehood, including discussions around reopening the Panguna Mine as a way to strengthen Bougainville’s financial independence.

He added that Bougainville aims to manage its natural resources free from outside political influence, particularly from Australia and Papua New Guinea, as it moves closer to self-governance.

“We lost 15,000 to 20,000 lives in the crisis. If the National Parliament ratifies and says no, then there is a constitutional blunder. If they say no, we as Bougainvilleans will not mind them. It would be as if they are faking their constitution if Bougainville is not granted independence,” President Toroama said.