Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape confirmed Thursday that the treaty had been formally approved by his Cabinet. "Australia has only one other mutual defense treaty of this type and at our request Papua New Guinea will now sign this treaty,” Marape said in a statement. “This reflects the depth of trust, history, and shared future between our two nations,” Marape added. The treaty would recognize that “an armed attack on Australia or Papua New Guinea would be a danger to the peace and security of both countries,” the statement said. It would also allow for the first time Papua New Guinea citizens to serve in the Australian Defense Force, potentially filling Australia’s longstanding recruitment shortfall.