Col Boniface Aruma speaks to US Marines with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and service members with the PNGDF during the opening ceremony of a bilateral training exercise at Taurama Barracks in 2016. Photo: U.S. Marine Corps / Cpl. Devan K. Gowans
For the first time a Papua New Guinean military officer, Colonel Boniface Aruma, has been appointed the deputy commander of Australian Defence Force's (ADF) 3rd Brigade.
It came at the same time that Fijian colonel, Penioni (Ben) Naliva, was appointed deputy commander of the ADF's 7th Brigade.
The Post-Courier reports that the appointments are in response to China's growing influence in the Pacific region, which Australia and the United States regard as their traditional sphere of influence.
According to Defence Connect, Colonel Aruma, a Distinguished Military Service Medal recipient, has previously graduated Royal Military College in 1999, Australian Command and Staff College in 2016 and earned master's degrees in international relations and defence studies from Deakin and Australian National University.
"I'm looking forward to absorbing as much as I can and hopefully bestow my own knowledge to the 3rd Brigade, in particular the mindset of improvisation on the go," he was quoted saying by Defence Connect website.
"Both countries share common interests, values, history, and it's the human beings that drive these for our nations.
"I am grateful to have been offered this opportunity."
The 3rd Brigade commander Brigadier David McCammon said "we have a relationship that has endured wars together, and this promotion is a reflection of the strength between the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) and ADF."
"The ADF has previously embedded PNGDF officers at varying ranks. The key difference with this appointment is the seniority and being in a position of command."
Meanwhile, the appointment of Colonel Naliva has attracted widespread criticism since it has been revealed he had been accused of human rights abuses in a previous role in the Fijian Defence Force.
The Fiji Military has since said there have not been any formal reports of abuse lodged with Fiji Police, and that they stand by Colonel Naliva.