Tuvalu Minister for Transport, Energy Communication and Innovation, the Hon Simon Kofe, has called for Pacific unity at the opening of the third annual Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue.

Delivering the keynote address at the Opening Ceremony on Monday, Minister Kofe stressed that regionalism must be considered “more than an aspiration”.

“In an increasingly interconnected and contested world, it is becoming a practical necessity for safeguarding both our interests and our independence,” he said.

The Dialogue is the largest security gathering in the region and brings together a broad cross-section of stakeholders. This year’s theme is ‘Safeguarding a peaceful Blue Pacific together’ and focuses on regional cooperation.

Minister Kofe warned of the harms caused by fragmentation, citing its relevance across areas including aviation, labour mobility, border management, maritime surveillance, immigration, cybersecurity, and regional security cooperation.

“Fragmentation is now one of the most persistent strategic vulnerabilities facing our region,” he said.

“It appears in differences in rules and standards, in uneven enforcement across jurisdictions, and in the ability of external players – whether criminal networks, commercial interests, or geopolitical actors – to exploit these gaps.”

Minister Kofe observed that fragmentation “erodes effectiveness, weakens resilience, and diminishes our collective influence.”

He said that cooperation is not enough to combat this, rather, we must ensure that our cooperation is structured in a way that prevents fragmentation from weakening us.

In his remarks, Minister Kofe pointed to the lessons learned from the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA). Choices to harmonise conservation, coordinate access arrangements, strengthen enforcement and share information strengthened the collective position of the countries involved.

“In an interconnected world, sovereignty is often strengthened, not diminished, when states act collectively,” he said.

The Pacific Blue Shipping Partnership, formally established in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, is an emerging regional initiative that embodies this unity, Minister Kofe said. The Partnership aims to advance the decarbonisation of domestic shipping across the region and spark investment in the transition to low carbon shipping.

“By pursuing common standards, shared objectives, and coordinated action, Pacific countries are demonstrating how regional cooperation can strengthen resilience while respecting national sovereignty,” Minister Kofe said.

He affirmed that security is about more than the absence of conflict or the strength of enforcement institutions.

“True security is found in resilient communities, trusted institutions, effective governance, environmental stewardship, and a region capable of acting collectively when confronted with shared challenges,” Minister Kofe said.

“The test before us is whether we have the leadership to ensure that our values are not merely spoken, but translated into the systems, decisions, and actions that will carry our peoples safely through the uncertainties ahead.

“If we succeed, future generations will inherit more than secure borders, stronger institutions, or greater prosperity. They will inherit a region that remained true to its values when those values were tested most severely.”

Minister Kofe remarked that while the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent is often considered a development strategy, it is “a values-based vision for our region”.

“These values include stewardship of our environment, respect for one another, collective, responsibility, solidarity, reciprocity, and a commitment to the wellbeing of present and future generations,” he said. “They are values that have sustained Pacific societies for centuries.

“Our ancestors faced their own uncertainties … yet they did so with courage, wisdom, and an unwavering belief that beyond the sikulagi – the horizon – lay opportunity and a better future for their people.

“Today, as we confront new challenges, from climate change and transnational crime to technological disruption and geopolitical competition, we are called to demonstrate that same resolve.

“The horizon before us may look different, but the compass remains the same.”

The importance of regional collaboration and collective action was emphasised during the opening ceremony of the Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue in Suva today.

In their opening remarks the Hon Simon Kofe, Tuvalu Minister for Transport, Energy, Communication and Innovation and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa observed that the Pacific is facing numerous challenges.

“We meet at a time of genuine uncertainty,” Secretary General Waqa said.

“The global strategic environment is increasingly fragmented. International rules and norms that were once considered enduring are now being routinely challenged and disregarded … The Pacific is not insulated from these challenges.”

The Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue is the region’s largest gathering of the security community, and brings together representatives from politics, academia, security agencies, regional organisations, civil society, and cultural, church and community groups to explore current and emerging priorities under the Boe Declaration on Regional Security.

The theme of the 2026 conference is ‘Safeguarding a peaceful Blue Pacific together’.

Minister Kofe stressed the importance of regionalism in tackling security threats including climate change, transnational crime, geostrategic competition, and technological disruption.

“Regionalism must be understood as more than an aspiration. In an increasingly interconnected and contested world, it is becoming a practical necessity for safeguarding both our interests and our independence,” he said.

Secretary General Waqa highlighted the work on finalising the Regional Peace and Security Action Plan 2026-2030.

“The plan will strenghten our efforts to combat transnational organised crime, respond to climate change, enhance human security, and ensure that our Pacific community is secure now and in the future.

“It is the combination of political will, regional vision, and political action that gives me confidence that we can realise our vision of a resilient Pacific region, one that is prepared for the challenges of today and empowered to shape a peaceful, secure and prosperous future for generations to come.”

Secretary General Waqa described the Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue as a “critical fixture in our regional security calendar”, one that provides opportunity for reflection, discussion and forward thinking.

“What makes this dialogue distinctive is its breadth. Our participants come from not only policing and defence backgrounds, but also from community organisations, civil society, academic and youth networks,” he said.

“That breadth brings to life the expanded concept of security reflected in the Boe Declaration, where security is built across the whole of society, not only within security institutions.

“The pressures we face have not only intensified, but have become increasingly interconnected, requiring responses that are regional, integrated and collaborative.”

About the Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue

Set against the backdrop of the Boe Declaration on Regional Security, the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, and the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration, the Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue is the region’s largest gathering of the security community from across Forum Island Countries. It brings together a diverse group of stakeholders, reflecting the expanded concept of security as defined by the Boe Declaration. Presented by 13 organisations, including the Pacific Security College, the conference provides expert updates and insights on key issues shaping the region’s future.

 

The Pacific’s largest gathering of the security community will bring together a broad cross-section of stakeholders in Suva this week, reflecting the wide range of challenges facing the region.

The Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue, in its third year, unites representatives from politics, academia, security agencies, regional organisations, civil society, and cultural, church and community groups to explore current and emerging priorities under the Boe Declaration on Regional Security.

The theme of the conference is ‘Safeguarding a peaceful Blue Pacific together’, recognising the necessity of regional cooperation in addressing security challenges.

Director of the Pacific Security College, and one of the Dialogue organisers, Professor Dave Peebles said: “In a time of increasing uncertainty, regional cooperation is more important than ever.

“The Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue is the largest security dialogue in the region and we are guided by the expanded concept of security in the Boe Declaration.

“We are honoured to welcome experts and leaders from multiple sectors across traditional and non-traditional security. The chance to listen to, learn from, and share knowledge and wisdom with such a diverse group of voices is a privilege.

“We are stronger together, and it is our ability to work in partnership that will help us shape a peaceful and prosperous future to 2050.”

The three-day event will take place at the Grand Pacific Hotel and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat from 15 to 17 June. More than 250 delegates are expected to attend from across the region.

Across the first two days of the Dialogue, participants will hear from leaders and representatives on a range of issues, including:

• Economic security
• Regional cooperation
• Transnational crime
• Energy transition
• Land security
• Climate change and mobility

 

Ten Ministers from Fiji, Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Palau, Niue and Nauru will join high-level panels to discuss the region’s response to ongoing security threats.

The Dialogue will also include a panel of young Pacific thinkers who will share their vision for a peaceful and secure Blue Pacific.

On the final day, delegates will take part in an innovative and interactive futures exercise. Participants will set the scene for collective horizon scanning, laying the groundwork to imagine the voyage to 2050, and what our destination could look like.

About the Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue

Set against the backdrop of the Boe Declaration on Regional Security, the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, and the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration, the Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue is the region’s largest gathering of the security community from across Forum Island Countries. It brings together a diverse group of stakeholders, reflecting the expanded concept of security as defined by the Boe Declaration. Presented by 13 organisations, including the Pacific Security College, the conference provides expert updates and insights on key issues shaping the region’s future.