Papua New Guinea’s foreign policy reflects close ties with Australia and other traditional allies and cooperative relations with neighboring countries. Its views on international political and economic issues are generally moderate. Papua New Guinea has diplomatic relations with 56 countries.

Papua New Guinea belongs to a variety of regional organizations, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum; the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) (Papua New Guinea is an observer member of the ASEAN); the South Pacific Commission; and the South Pacific Regional Environmental Program (SPREP).

The U.S. and Papua New Guinea are signatories to the U.S.-Pacific Islands Multilateral Tuna Fisheries Treaty, under which the U.S. grants USD 18 million per year to Pacific Island parties and the latter provide access for U.S. fishing vessels. The U.S. also supports Papua New Guinea’s efforts to protect biodiversity; the International Coral Reef Initiative is aimed at protecting reefs in tropical nations such as Papua New Guinea.

As of November 2005, relations with Pacific neighbour Fiji have been strained by revelations that a number of Fijian mercenaries have been operating illegally on the island of Bougainville, arming and training a rebel militia.