Papua New Guinea's prime minister has used an official visit to Australia to call for more investment in his nation to help curb poverty and build a more resilient economy.
James Marape became the first Pacific nation leader to address the Australian parliament ahead of meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and a suite of top ministers.
"Do not give up on Papua New Guinea," he pleaded while pledging his nation to stand strong.
"We must become a strong country standing on our own two feet economically independent and strong so we too can help Australia maintain democracy, preserve peace and ensure stability in our part of planet Earth, in our Pacific."
Using a later speech at the Australian National University, he called for further Australian investment in PNG as he works towards a sustainable budget.
"We know your return on investment, we will benchmark against global benchmarks," he said.
He also challenged researchers and academics to propose electoral, economic and public sector reforms to boost PNG's prosperity.
"So long as you offer solutions, we're ready to listen and work to ensure we fix those problems," he said.
Traditional partners such as Australia and the US would also remain the forefront of PNG's security needs but his nation wouldn't be curtailed from working with other countries like China just because of the competition between great powers, Mr Marape said.
"We will not compromise our relations with China, just as much as we will not compromise our relations with the USA."
But he said Port Moresby would stand up against human rights abuses and any threats to their principles.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lauded the historic relationship after Australia granted PNG independence in 1975, and said a recent security agreement marked a new beginning of co-operation in defence and policing.
"An agreement for the future, anchored in our shared history," he said.
"Australia wants to build this future with you and secure it with you, as your primary partner."
Thanking PNG for its role in standing alongside Australian troops in World War II, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton also warned of the consequences of undeterred aggression in the region.
"We find ourselves in times of emboldened autocrats who have no hesitation in using inducements, coercion, and outright force against other nations to realise their zero-sum ambitions," he said.
"May we form fellowships of greater strength with our mutual partners and friends in the Pacific and wider region - from strength comes security and from security comes stability and from stability comes prosperity."
