Bougainville island has been seeking autonomy since Papua New Guinea’s independence in 1975. Early on the option of territorial autonomy was considered. Peace negotiations in 1998 led to an agreement two years later. In 2019, a referendum took place in accordance with the 2001 peace agreement. A majority voted for the island’s independence, which by 2021 was still in negotiation. The experiences of Åland have been brought up at several instances in peace resolution efforts, and it is e.g. reported that features in legislative amendments after 1998 took inspiration from Åland.
