PNG NRI considered the referendum on Bougainville’s future political status to be a significant national event that would impact the wellbeing of the people of Bougainville and PNG.

Therefore in 2017, the PNG NRI Bougainville Referendum Research Project was incepted and over the last five years, has been inquiring and informing through nine (9) key studies. Seven (7) studies were published before the referendum and two (2) studies have been published in the immediate post-referendum period.

1.    Administration of Referendums: A comparative study of independence referendums
2.    Independence Referendum: History, practice and outcomes
3.    Financing for Fiscal Autonomy: Fiscal self-reliance in Bougainville
4.    Options for Bougainville's Autonomy Arrangement: A study from a global comparative perspective
5.    Bougainville Referendum Outcome Issues
6.    Status and Implementation of the Bougainville Peace Agreement and Implication for Referendum
7.    Greater autonomy and independence for Bougainville: Institutional options and issues for transition
8.    Institution Building in Post Referendum Bougainville
9.    Increasing Revenues for the Bougainville Government

The PNG NRI commissioned experts (independent researchers) to conduct desktop studies on the research questions identified. The reports produced were then used to generate discussions and inform key stakeholders.

The research reports are now freely available, and the PNG NRI encourages its wide use to raise issues and prompt informed discussion and decision-making.

This is independent research by the leading public policy think tank in PNG wanting to see a credible process leading to a peaceful outcome for Bougainville.

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