Bougainville’s controversial site is path for independence

Bougainville, a separate region of Papua New Guinea, is currently carving its road to independence, a move that would see it surface as the world’s newest country.

Supported by China, Bougainville plans to reopen its long abandoned and controversial copper mine to boost the region’s economy.

But plans for the mine’s future have sparked fear over its previous role in a civil war, raising concerns that environmental and social tensions could re-emerge.

Image: Photo courtesy of Dr Anna-Karinna Hermkens

Produced By: Eduardo Jordan

Featured In Story: Dr Anna-Karinna Hermkens – Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University, and

First aired on The Wire, Thursday 12 June 2025