Towards an Ocean of Peace: Pacific leaders gather in Suva to tackle regional security
Participants at the 2025 Pacific Regional and National Security Conference.
Senior political leaders, national security officials and experts from across the region will convene in Suva this week for the second Pacific Regional and National Security Conference (PRNSC), one of the largest security gatherings in the region.
Hosted at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat from 14-16 July, this year’s conference brings together participants from Pacific Islands Forum member states and four Forum Dialogue Partner countries to engage in a talanoa on shared security priorities and Pacific-led solutions.
Conference organiser Professor Dave Peebles, Director of the Pacific Security College, said: “We are bringing together national security officials, and community leaders not just to respond to today’s crises, but to chart a peaceful and resilient path towards 2050 and beyond.
“We believe we are stronger together when we learn from each other and when we support each other to build a peaceful, resilient and secure region.”
The Prime Minister of Fiji, the Hon Sitiveni Rabuka, the Prime Minister of Niue, the Hon Dalton Tagelagi, and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa will open the conference.
More than 150 delegates, including political and diplomatic representatives, regional and national officials, and academic, business and civil society representatives, will share their perspectives and experiences across the three-day event.
A central theme will be the Ocean of Peace proposal, which Forum Leaders will consider in September.
“This conference is an opportunity for the Pacific security community to help shape what that vision looks like in practice, and to consider the principles, partnerships and policies needed to make it real,” Professor Peebles said.
Over the first two days, the conference will feature more than 40 speakers across 10 panels exploring topics relevant to the region’s security landscape, the Boe Declaration on Regional Security and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
Key sessions will include discussions on:
- Climate security and the region’s response to worsening climate indicators
- The methamphetamine crisis and the challenge it presents to health and law enforcement
- The role of women in peace and security across Pacific communities
- Digital technologies as both tools and threats to Pacific security
- Maritime and environmental security
- The future of the Boe Declaration on Regional Security
- Human security and humanitarian assistance
- The Ocean of Peace proposal
Eight Ministers from Fiji, Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu will join high-level panels to discuss how the region can respond to security and climate challenges.
Speakers from four Forum Dialogue Partners – India, Indonesia, Japan and the United States – will explore international cooperation and how partners can support peace and stability in the Pacific.
On the final day of the conference, delegates will participate in an interactive futures exercise to discuss the challenges, opportunities and pathways to realising a peaceful and secure Pacific region. The exercise will be led by experts from the Australian National University and The Pacific Community (SPC).
The Pacific Regional and National Security Conference is presented by 11 partner organisations: the Forum Fisheries Agency, Oceania Customs Organisation, Pacific Community, Pacific Fusion Centre, Pacific Immigration Development Community, Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police, Pacific Islands Forum, Pacific Islands Law Officers’ Network, Pacific Security College, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, and the University of the South Pacific.
About the Pacific Regional and National Security Conference
Set against the backdrop of the Boe Declaration on Regional Security and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the Pacific Regional National Security Conference (PRNSC) is one of the region’s largest gatherings of the national security community from across Forum Island Countries. Presented by 11 organisations, including the Pacific Security College, the conference provides expert updates and insights on key security issues outlined in the Boe Declaration including climate change, human security, transnational crime and cybercrime.
About the Pacific Security College
The Pacific Security College serves Pacific Islands Forum Countries (FICs) through learning and training, policy engagement and regional collaboration. It has a holistic approach to Pacific security, encompassing traditional and non-traditional security issues, taking its lead from the Forum’s Boe Declaration on Regional Security and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. The College was established in 2019.
