Sessional order tabled and adopted by Parliament

The sessional order on the Bougainville Referendum was tabled and adopted in Parliament on Tuesday, after the house voted overwhelmingly in support.

The sessional order provides an important legal framework or guide that allows Parliament to debate on and vote on the ratification process relating to the Region’s political future.

Minister for Bougainville Affairs Manasseh Makiba provided an update statement to Parliament when presenting the sessional order.

Since the Bougainville Referendum in 2019 which saw Bougainvilleans vote 97.7% in favor of independence over greater autonomy, extensive post referendum consultations were conducted between the two governments.

This to determine how these referendum results would be brought before parliament.

The Era Kone Covenant came about, enabling this tabling of the sessional order - for the development of constitutional regulations pursuant to Section 349 to guide this process.

Minister Makiba says following the adoption of the Sessional order, the two governments will need to work on finalizing the Melanesian framework and the completion of the joint consultation report:

Following this, the members will have to make the “most consequential decisions in the country’s history” to vote on Bougainville’s political future on or before the 30th of August.

Under the sessional order, only the Minister for Bougainville Affairs can move a motion to accept the referendum results and accompanying documents and must secure an absolute three-quarter majority.

If the House votes yes, Bougainville will go through a phased transition to Independence under the Melanesian framework. If no, autonomy continues under existing constitutional arrangements.