Last month, riots erupted in Papua New Guinea’s capital and quickly spread to other cities across the country. The riots laid bare that governance is failing to meet public needs — which risks deepening instability in a country that already faces high rates of intercommunal, domestic and gender-based violence. Meanwhile, U.S engagement in Papua New Guinea has been increasing as geopolitical competition heightens in the region. And while this engagement centers on Papua New Guinea’s designation as a priority partner country under the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability, the recent unrest offers a wake-up call for U.S and international policymakers to re-focus on the roots of the country’s instability.