The Pacific Security College will this week launch the official report from the 2025 Pacific Regional and National Security Conference (PRNSC), capturing the insights and outcomes from one of the largest gatherings of the Pacific’s security community.

To be released on the sidelines of the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands, the report highlights how Pacific unity, values, and leadership remain central to addressing the region’s most pressing security challenges.

PRNSC brought together more than 150 delegates, including political representatives, regional officials, civil society leaders, academics, and representatives from Forum Dialogue Partners at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji, from 14 to 16 July.

The Prime Minister of Fiji, the Honourable Sitiveni Rabuka, has said the conference is the Pacific’s Shangri-La Dialogue.

“The Pacific Regional and National Security Conference brings together the Pacific security community: political leaders, regional and national officials, academic, business and civil society representatives,” said Professor Dave Peebles, Director of the Pacific Security College.

“The report captures the wisdom of the Pacific security community. Their analysis of the challenges, but also their insights into the solutions.

“It’s a reminder that none of us are on own and a peaceful and prosperous future for the Blue Pacific Continent is there to be won.

“We are grateful to all the partners who made the conference possible.”

The report outlines key insights and recommendations from the conference across a range of security issues, including:

• Pacific-led security: The conference heard regional security efforts must be grounded in Pacific values, owned and driven by Pacific communities, and not externally imposed. People are the region’s greatest strength in maintaining peace and security.
• Urgency of climate action: Climate change is the single greatest threat to Pacific security, the conference was reminded, and the window for adaptation is rapidly closing.
• Combatting transnational crime: The methamphetamine crisis and other forms of transnational crime demand forward-looking, evidence-based national and regional responses. Delegates suggested responses must be cross-sectoral, incorporating public health, law enforcement, and cultural systems.
• Strengthening maritime security: The conference heard maritime security will only grow more important, especially in light of climate impacts, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and crime. There was a need, too, to manage different approaches to deep sea mining.
• Inclusive human security: Human security must ensure full societal participation in decision-making and the fulfilment of human rights. Youth, women, persons with disabilities, and civil society must be central to peace and security efforts.
• Cybersecurity and ICT threats: Malicious use of information and communication technology (ICT) poses a growing threat to peace, economic growth, development and human rights. Immediate policy responses, legal reform, infrastructure investment and regional collaboration are essential.
• Cultural and traditional knowledge: Security strategies should draw on traditional knowledge, languages, and spiritual values, while respecting national sovereignty and fostering regional cooperation.
• Gender and social inclusion: The refreshed Boe Declaration Action Plan should embed gender equality, human rights, and cultural protection, and promote inclusive leadership across all sectors.
• Strengthening regional architecture: There is an opportunity to enhance regional security frameworks, including through binding agreements and treaties among Forum member countries.

A central theme of this year’s conference was the vision of an Ocean of Peace – a secure, resilient and united Blue Pacific anchored in Pacific values and collective action.

The report includes outcomes from an interactive futures workshop held on the final day of PRNSC, where delegates imagined a peaceful Pacific by 2050 and identified the decisions needed today to realise that future.

“It’s important we all work together to realise the vision Pacific Islands Forum Leaders have given us in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent,” said Mr Joel Nilon, Senior Pacific Fellow at the Pacific Security College.

“The futures exercise at the conference was an opportunity to discuss the voyage to ensuring the Pacific is an Ocean of Peace in 2050.

“There’s lots of ideas for what we need to do now, and what we need to do in coming decades, to achieve that vision.

“There is a hunger in people’s hearts for closer regional ties, for more cooperation, so the Pacific is united,” said Mr Nilon.

Insights from the workshop were presented to officials to inform the development of a regional Ocean of Peace Declaration, which is being considered by Forum Leaders in Honiara this week.

The workshop findings reflect both the opportunities and challenges on the path to a peaceful Pacific by 2050. Participants emphasised the importance of collective, regional action to build resilience and empower people across the Pacific, while also recognising the pressures that may disrupt traditional ways of life and shared approaches.

A strong theme was the need to move beyond discussion to concrete implementation – ensuring existing agreements and frameworks deliver real outcomes for the region.

An official launch of the report will be held in Honiara on 11 September, hosted by the Pacific Security College in partnership with the Pacific Islands Forum, Solomon Islands National University and the University of the South Pacific.

Download the 2025 PRNSC report

Read more about the 2025 Pacific Regional and National Security Conference

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Official launch event

The Pacific Regional and National Security Conference 2025 Report will be launched on Thursday 11 September at a Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting side event.

‘Building an Ocean of Peace through Strengthened Regional Integration’ will be held from 10.30am-11.30am at the Aquatic Centre in Honiara. It is presented by SINU, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, University of the South Pacific, and the Pacific Security College.

The event will include a panel discussion featuring government, regional officials, and civil society representatives. PIFLM registration is required and can be submitted online.

Progress has been made in advancing women’s participation in peace and security across the Pacific, but challenges remain, according to female leaders from the region’s security sector.

The Women, Peace and Security panel at the Pacific Regional and National Security Conference explored the ways women contribute to safer and more peaceful societies, while also confronting the barriers that continue to undermine their full participation in security agencies and national decision-making.

Samoa Police Service Deputy Commissioner Papāli‘i Monalisa Tia‘i-Keti said the number of women recruited into the service had increased and there was growing recognition of the skills women bring to law enforcement.

“Our traditional view of security has always been from a male perspective, and now this is an opportunity for us, women and minority groups, to have a platform to raise and to also address security issues from a female perspective,” she said.

“There has been positive change for us, but there continues to be challenges, not only for Samoa Police, but for policing across the region.”

The panellists discussed how women in Pacific security agencies continue to face systemic barriers, including gender bias, workplace harassment, and the sidelining of their voices. Weak internal processes further compound these challenges, making it difficult for women to raise concerns or drive change within their organisations.

Change at the organisational level was highlighted as critical and panellists raised the need for inclusive recruitment and leadership pathways that enable more women to contribute meaningfully to security.

New Zealand Police Acting Deputy Commissioner for Northern Districts, Jill Rogers, said it was important for organisations to reflect and represent their communities.

“Whether it be a gender issue or a diversity issue, we have to make our organisations look like places that people want to work,” she said.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Rogers said New Zealand Police had made good progress in increasing the number of women in senior ranks in the past decade, including doubling the number of female sergeants and growing the number of female senior sergeants by two-and-a-half times. The organisation has also quadrupled the number of Pasifika people, and the number of Wāhine Māori (Māori women).

“When you’re trying to think about building an inclusive place for people to come that represents your community, there’s some really good work being reflected through all levels of the organisation. But it’s certainly not finished,” she said.

“At the moment 26% of our frontline staff are female, and that still doesn’t feel like enough. But it’s certainly very different from the days when I joined and two women weren’t allowed to work together.”

While strengthening representation in security institutions is important, speakers emphasised that the Women, Peace and Security agenda must also tackle the broader factors affecting women’s safety and wellbeing across the Pacific region.

Shamima Ali, Coordinator of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre, raised the high rate of violence in the Pacific, which is double the world average.

“In Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji, two in three women suffer from sexual, physical and emotional violence. And also in Fiji, in the last 12 years, we have had 57 deaths of women at the hands of mostly at their intimate partners, husbands, boyfriends and so on. That is not a good picture,” she said.

“Looking at the Pacific and Fiji, women are not at all secure where they should be the most secure – in our own homes.”

Ms Ali encouraged greater participation of women in the security sector, and for women’s voices to be better included in consultation and decision-making processes related to security issues. She stressed that equality and equity were both important.

“A woman’s place is everywhere, right? The kitchen, the workplace, everywhere that she wants to be,” she said.

“That opportunity should be there, but we have to recognise the uneven playing field and enable an environment for women to thrive in.”

Ms Ali suggested that more training, including gender sensitisation training, should be rolled out across the region.

“Once people understand the dynamics of gender power relations – why the playing field is unequal, why affirmative action is necessary – the results are better.”

Colonel Litea Seruiratu (ret’d) was the first woman to serve in several senior roles in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), including Chief of Staff. She was in the military when it adopted the Women, Peace and Security agenda in 2018.

“The Women, Peace and Security agenda recognises that integrating a gender perspective into conflict prevention strategies can help to address the root causes of conflict and promote sustainable peace. It also encourages the integration of gender considerations into military planning,” she said.

Mrs Seruiratu acknowledged there were cultural factors that could be barriers to including and considering women in security issues.

“Norms and biases can hinder women’s participation, especially in the Pacific Islands. But we can also change this around and use culture, especially traditional leaders, effectively to advocate for the women, peace and security agenda, because they can reach out to the grassroots.”

Cybersecurity must be embedded from the ground up if the Pacific is to harness the promise of technology while defending against its perils, regional experts told delegates at the Pacific Regional and National Security Conference.

During the Technology: the promise and the peril session, experts emphasised the urgent need for digital transformation that is safe, inclusive and resilient and framed within the region’s collective ambitions under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the Boe Declaration on Regional Security.

“One of the key priorities for Government is to ensure that we provide meaningful and secure connectivity to our people so that they can utilise technology in a way that empowers their lives and raises their livelihoods,” said Tupou’tuah Baravilala, Director-General of Digital Government Transformation, Cybersecurity and Communications for Fiji. “At the same time, we must ensure they are equipped with the knowledge, tools, and the skill sets to be able to safely navigate these online spaces.”

Ms Baravilala noted that the Pacific’s relatively fresh digital landscape means countries have an opportunity to design with foresight.

“There’s a lot that we’re doing in terms of digital transformation, where technology is playing a crucial component to be able to allow us to leapfrog, and I think it is definitely an opportunity for the Pacific. We don’t have that issue of legacy infrastructure that other developed countries have,” she said.

Ms Baravilala said it was crucial to instill strong cyber security practices and pointed to data from Microsoft that indicates basic cyber hygiene protects against 99% of cyber attacks.

“The opportunity for our region is, as we’re beginning our digital transformation journeys, we need to adopt cyber security-by-design and data-protection-by-design approaches, ensure the integrity of our supply chain, ensure a robust talent pipeline, and inculcate a culture of cyber hygiene in our communities and businesses.”

Matthew Watson, UNODC’s Regional Adviser for Transnational Organised Crime and Cybercrime, said one of the most impactful changes technology is having in society is the access to perceived truth, what people see online, and how they interact online.

“We could all go on Facebook collectively while in the same room, and we won’t all see the exact same thing,” he said. “Whether it’s due to various algorithms, AI-generated content, or differing interests, we’re all getting a different story and a different view. That’s huge for society. For better and for worse.”

Mr Watson said while it was fantastic that people could access so much information easily from their devices, it is difficult for governments, counterparts, and police to manage the threat of misinformation and ensure that citizens are aware of the dangers of that.

“We need to make sure that citizens, children, and adults have an awareness of the problems caused by digital illiteracy and misinformation. This must be embedded at an educational level.”

The panel discussed the rise in cyber attacks and threats in the Pacific that pose risks to both governments, institutions and individuals.

Manager of Fiji’s Critical Infrastructure Cyber Security Unit, Savenaca Siwatibau, said a lot of users in Fiji were falling victim to online scams and cyber crimes, and that government and policymakers needed to ensure users were protected, including by building digital literacy in schools and in the wider community.

“Fiji has increased its connectivity threshold to 96% because the community is starting to see the benefits of technology. Now the big issue here is, how can government protect this community?

“We need to ensure that we have the right policies, the right legislation and the technical capability to be able to strengthen the security of those that use these platforms.”

Mr Siwatibau said strong cyber security practices needed to be incorporated across government, legislation, and policy, right down to grassroot level.

“That is the only way that we can ensure that we are providing a safer environment that People can thrive on in the use of technology.”

Speakers noted that action on cybersecurity directly aligns with Pillar 3 (Peace and Security) of the 2050 Strategy and the Boe Declaration’s call for collective action against emerging security threats such as cybercrime, technological disruptions, and information warfare.

The panel called for:

• stronger cybercrime legislation aligned with frameworks such as the Budapest Convention,
• cross-border collaboration among Pacific Island Countries,
• investment in digital literacy, cyber infrastructure, and a local cybersecurity talent pipeline,
• and recognition of cybersecurity as both a development and security priority.

Participants also stressed that these efforts must be guided by Pacific values and tailored to local realities, reinforcing regional digital resilience as a key enabler of sustainable development, sovereignty and security.

The Pacific Regional and National Security Conference has reinforced the power of Pacific unity, values and leadership in confronting the region’s most pressing security challenges.

Over three days in Suva, more than 150 delegates from 22 countries gathered to explore how the region can respond to a complex and evolving security environment. Among them were eight Ministers from six Forum member countries, alongside senior regional and national officials, civil society leaders, academics and diplomats.

Conference discussions explored the need for Pacific-led security approaches grounded in shared values and reaffirmed climate change as the region’s most urgent threat.

Panels highlighted transnational crime, particularly the growing impact of methamphetamine use, as an immediate and complex challenge requiring coordinated but locally tailored responses. Sessions also discussed maritime security, cybersecurity, regional security frameworks, and trends in national security. The importance of inclusive national security strategies was raised, including the leadership of youth, women, civil society and persons with disability.

Speaking at the conference closing, Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa said the conference had underscored the importance of unity and cooperation in addressing the complex security challenges.

“The insights and perspectives shared by all participants have been invaluable in shaping our path forward,” he said.

“Our discussions over the last three days have emphasised the importance of addressing the various security issues we face through regional cooperation, evidence-based policies and improved alignment between national and regional security priorities,” he said.

“We must continue to explore the potential to strengthen our security collaborations. We must continue to look at strengthening information sharing by breaking down barriers that continue to hinder our collaboration. These efforts will enhance our cohesion and alignment to address the polycrisis facing our blue Pacific continent.”

The Prime Minister of Niue, the Hon Dalton Tagelagi, closed the conference on Wednesday afternoon and shared his confidence in the region to confront the security challenges before it by drawing in the whole community and traditional leaders.

“I started the conference by posing the question, what does security mean to you? The answer has come back. Security is holistic. It is the whole person. It is a whole community. It is a whole country, and it is the whole region. Security is leaving no one behind. Security is about protecting our values,” he said.

“Some may wonder, will the Pacific fail or rise before this crisis? My friends, the clear answer from this conference is the Pacific will rise and beat these challenges.”

A central theme throughout the 2025 conference was the vision of an Ocean of Peace – a secure, resilient and united Blue Pacific – anchored in collective action and Pacific values.

A headline panel on the second day of the conference explored the proposal as a potential response to region’s overlapping security challenges, such as accelerating climate risks, unresolved nuclear issues and geopolitical pressures.

On the final day of the conference, delegates took part in an interactive futures exercise, imagining a peaceful, resilient and united Pacific by 2050.

The session invited participants to consider what decisions must be made now to navigate the challenges ahead and steer toward a shared vision of an Ocean of Peace. Insights gathered during the exercise will feed into the drafting of a regional Ocean of Peace declaration for consideration by Forum Leaders in September.

Professor Dave Peebles, Director of the Pacific Security College, thanked the many partners who contributed to the success of the conference.

“We were very grateful to partner with 10 regional organisations, particularly the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and the University of the South Pacific, to bring the Pacific security community together,” he said.

“I finish the conference full of optimism and hope, that the wisdom of our Pacific security leaders will help us to overcome the polycrisis before the Blue Pacific.

“There’s much to be getting on with, but the good ideas, good spirit, sharing and concern demonstrated by the Pacific security community this week is really inspiring.

“We look forward to next year’s Pacific Regional and National Security Conference.”

Regional leaders and experts have called for bold, collective leadership to protect the Pacific’s maritime and environmental resources, warning that the region’s security, food systems and livelihoods are under growing threat from climate change, illegal fishing and deep-sea exploitation.

At a high-level panel on Maritime and Environmental Resources during the 2025 Pacific Regional and National Security Conference, speakers urged action on integrated ocean governance, sustainable fisheries and biodiversity protection, underpinned by the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the Boe Declaration.

Forum Fisheries Agency Director General Mr Noan Pakop highlighted the value of the fisheries industry to the Pacific, but warned current trends in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and the impacts of climate change could destabilise Pacific economies if not addressed.

“We can take full advantage of the region’s tuna stocks in economic terms. Apart from the food security and supporting our populations, it provides the potential for economic prosperity throughout the region,” he said.

“But it comes with challenges as well. How do we protect that economic value? How do we protect the fisheries from IUU fishing from the outside? How do we protect from over-fishing? That is the starting point for a cooperative arrangement within the region.”

Mr Pakop emphasised that Pacific leadership must drive new approaches to sustainable fisheries management that are regionally designed and enforced, and also raised the need for innovative approaches, including more downstream processing, to extract more value from fisheries.

“Collectively, about 26 to 28,000 Pacific Islanders are employed either in the fishing sector or the processing sector, and it’s worth about 1 billion in terms of export revenue,” he said.

“That could increase three times, four times if we go into development initiatives like the East New Britain Initiative, where our members can cooperate together.”

Echoing this, Pacific Ocean Commissioner Dr Filimon Manoni noted the critical need for the region to assert its own terms in global forums and resource negotiations.

“We cannot remain passive and let these decisions be made by others, because our future is intrinsically tied to global decisions about what we want to do on the ocean.”

Dr Manoni stressed the importance of frameworks that reflect Pacific values and solidarity, and acknowledged several Pacific-led initiatives and partnerships focused on ocean conservation and sustainable marine management, including in Cook Islands, Palau and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

“More work remains to be done, but we are taking steps in the right direction. Hopefully in the next few weeks, we will see how this support and pledges will unlock the finance that is necessary to support these commitments going forward.”

Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Civil Service and Public Enterprise Mr Amena Yauvoli reminded participants of the existing regional legal frameworks that must be fully utilised.

“There are a lot of legal frameworks that we can refer to and of course in our maritime zones we have the Maritime Zones Act, we have the Offshore Fisheries Management Decree, we have the Climate Change Act, we have the Environmental Management Act. These are pieces of legislation that are there and that we should be utilising effectively.”

He added that enforcement and coordinated implementation across ministries is critical to respond to growing risks such as biodiversity loss, pollution and seabed mining.

“What we’ve been trying to do is look at the whole of government approach. When you talk about this issue, it’s not only a Ministry of Environment issue or Ministry of Fisheries issue – it’s all our issue.”

Moderated by Dr Philippa Louey of the Pacific Security College, the panel addressed a wide range of interconnected security concerns – from the risks of unregulated deep seabed mining to the need for regional parametric insurance mechanisms to buffer climate shocks.

“Lands, waterways and oceans have always been central to the security and the wellbeing of Pacific peoples and communities. However, today, these ecosystems face unprecedented pressures from a range of factors, including climate change, over-exploitation, pollution, and growing geostrategic competition. The security consequences of such strain are both significant, but they’re also changing,” Dr Louey said.

Dr Raijieli Taga, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, emphasised the importance of integrating traditional knowledge into new scientific methods and processes, and the need for Pacific unity to face the threats and challenges facing the region.

The panel concluded that achieving an Ocean of Peace requires robust Pacific-led legal, policy and enforcement frameworks grounded in traditional knowledge and powered by collective action.

My friends, my Blue Pacific family, I thank you.

I thank you for the opportunity to join you here this afternoon and have the honour of closing this conference. I think it’s the Shangri-La Dialogue of the Pacific and in the Pacific Way.

I hope you all had a wonderful three days. This is probably one of the conferences that I pay more attention to, from the opening to yesterday, and I congratulate you all. Just listening to the reflections, wow. You have all done well at this second conference.

May I quickly acknowledge those that work tirelessly and I give my vote of thanks, vote of confidence, in acknowledgment of all those – from the moderators, the facilitators, the partners and everyone – for their work to make this conference what it is, which I think is a success.

I hope that your minds have been nourished by big discussions and big issues, big ideas for the future. That your spirit has been nourished by fellowship with your brothers and sisters from the Pacific security community. There is nothing like knowledge to empower us and there is
nothing like family gathering to lift us up.

I started the conference by posing the question, ‘what does security mean to you?’ The answer has come back. Security is holistic. It is the whole person. It is a whole community. It is a whole country, and it is the whole region. Security is leaving no one behind. Security is about protecting our values. Security is applying our traditional knowledge and customs and faith in
God to the challenges before us.

I started the conference by saying: security is one of the hardest areas in government policy. It is challenging. But the clear message from this conference is we will hold each other up and we will do it together.

And another clear message is, we will succeed by drawing in the whole community and our traditional leaders. None of us are on this journey on our own.

Let me finish the conference with a new question: what makes us strong?

It is the things that have always made us strong, all the precious treasures which we have been born into as citizens of the Blue Pacific Continent. Our traditions, our cultures, our values, our faith, our connection to land and ocean, our love and concern for the next generation, our Pacific unity.

The polycrisis before the Blue Pacific is big and difficult. Some may wonder, “will the Pacific fall or rise before this crisis?”

My friends, the clear answer from this conference is the Pacific will rise and beat these challenges. I finish our talanoa with hope and optimism for the future.

Let me share some of the wisdom we have heard during our discussions.

From the Solomon Islands National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Transform:

“The Pacific is the most successful region for oceans management in the world, and the Pacific Island countries continue to collaborate very strongly.

“Let us celebrate the success of the region.”

That’s where we are today. In terms of where we are going tomorrow, the Ocean of Peace is the clear destination for our voyage.

Minister Peter Shanel from Solomon Islands said:

“The Ocean of Peace is like a beacon of light. A beacon that helps you to know where there is a good place to travel, and where there is the reef that will cause us to crash.

“It is a beacon that will allow us to navigate the challenging times ahead – together.”

My friends, we are on a great voyage together, and the next step is our Leaders’ Meeting in Honiara, Solomons in September.

But all of you have sent out a great beacon of light to guide us onto the Leaders’ Meeting and I thank you.

God bless you all. God bless your important work. God bless our families who support you, and God bless our great Blue Pacific Continent, which we all serve. I thank you very much.

And I have the honour of saying that is the end of this conference.

The conference is now officially closed.

Thank you.

Ni sa bula, and a very good afternoon to you all.

As we come to the close of the 2025 Pacific Regional and National Security Conference, I’m filled with a deep sense of gratitude. Gratitude and pride at the collaborative spirit that has been displayed over these past three days.

First and foremost, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the government and people of Fiji for their warm hospitality and support. I hope this has made your time here both productive and enjoyable.

I would also like to thank the Pacific Security College, Professor Dave Peebles and your team, and the policy team here at the Forum Secretariat for your tireless efforts organising this  conference.

From the learnings of this week, I believe we can look forward to another one next year.

My gratitude also goes to the members. Thank you. Thank you for making the meeting a success and for sharing your perspective and experience with us. Vinaka. Vinaka vakalevu.

Our discussions have underscored the importance of unity and cooperation in addressing the complex security challenges we have. From climate change and transnational crime to cybersecurity and maritime security, to women, peace and security, we have explored the multifaceted threats that require our collective actions.

The insights and perspectives shared by all participants have been invaluable in shaping our path forward.

The Ocean of Peace concept stands up as a testament to our commitment to maintaining long-term peace and security in the Pacific. We recognise that our region’s unique geopolitical  landscape necessitates a comprehensive and integrated approach to managing conflict and
instability.

The Ocean of Peace, aligned with the Boe Declaration on Regional Security and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent will guide our efforts in safeguarding our communities and preserving our heritage.

I’m particularly heartened by the progress made in enhancing our national security framework. The launch of the national security strategy by Niue, Fiji, Solomon Islands and others reflects our dedication to strengthening our national capacities and ensuring the resilience of our nations.

Our discussions over the last three days have emphasised the importance of addressing the various security issues we face through regional cooperation, evidence-based policies and improved alignment between national and regional security priorities.

As we move forward, the review of our regional security architecture will be essential in ensuring our mechanisms are fit for purpose.

In particular, driving the renewed peace effort, we must continue to explore the potential to strengthen our security collaborations. We must continue to look at strengthening information sharing by breaking down barriers that continue to hinder our collaboration. These efforts will enhance our cohesion and alignment to address the polycrisis facing our Blue Pacific continent.

In conclusion, I am optimistic. I’m optimistic about the future of our region’s security, the 2025 Pacific Regional and National Security Conference has demonstrated our collective resolve to work together, share information and build trust.

I have no doubt as we continue our journey, that the conference will find its right place within the regional security architecture.

Over the next two days, we are going to consider key security priorities that will be considered by Forum Leaders in September through the sub-committee on security. I urge members to use the sharing undertaken over the last three days to continue to strengthen our collective approaches to peace and security.

Thank you all for your participation, your dedication and your unwavering commitment to the security of our Pacific region.

Safe travels, and I look forward to our continued collaboration.

Tubwa kor, vinaka vakalevu, thank you.

As Pacific leaders, policymakers and regional experts convened in Suva this week to address some of the region’s most complex and converging security challenges, the Boe Declaration and Beyond panel provided a timely and strategic reassessment of the Pacific’s evolving security agenda, grounded in shared values and collective action. 

Framed against the backdrop of climate threats, geopolitical shifts and rising social inequalities, the discussion reflected deepening calls for an updated, Pacific-owned action plan firmly grounded in regional values and aligned with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. 

The session convened four prominent Pacific voices: Dr Fiona Hukula of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PiFs), Senior Sergeant Peter Ririvere of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, Pacific legal expert Romulo Nayacalevu, and PhD scholar Anna Naupa from the Australian National University.  

The panel reflected on how the Boe Declaration’s security framework could be strengthened to better reflect regional realities, especially the intersection of gender, culture, human rights and environmental challenges. 

Dr Fiona Hukula emphasised the need to move beyond the tokenistic inclusion of women in security frameworks. “There’s opportunity now with the new action plan to ensure that there’s a wider range of consultation around the role of women, not just in the security forces, but women as analysts, peacemakers, and community leaders,” she said.  

Dr Hukula called for inclusive engagement that spans across government, academia, climate sectors and non-traditional spaces, ensuring women’s voices, especially from marginalised groups, are not left behind.  

“When we’re talking about the Boe Declaration and all the work that we do at the Secretariat around social gender and social inclusion, we need to make sure we’re talking about women, peace and security, and also ensuring that children, vulnerable groups, persons with disability … are not an afterthought. How do we work better together to ensure the priorities of our members are being met and elevated at the regional level?” 

This call for inclusivity was echoed by Romulo Nayacalevu, who rejected the notion that human rights are foreign to the Pacific. Drawing on his doctoral research and extensive regional legal experience, he argued that human rights are inherently Pacific, rooted in customary values of dignity, fairness and respect.  

“Human rights are not just a Western issue … the Tongan 1875 Constitution enshrined a bill of rights even before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948,” he said. “When we respect our elders, women, and children, we are already practicing these principles. We just never called it ‘human rights’.”  

To strengthen the region’s accountability and governance systems, he proposed the creation of a Pacific Charter or Treaty on Human Rights, grounded in regional values but aligned with international frameworks. 

 That interplay between international obligations and local realities was further illustrated by Senior Sergeant Peter Ririvere, who highlighted a pressing yet often overlooked threat, unexploded ordnance (UXO) from World War II.  

“We typically remove between 60 to 100 items each week … this process is reactive and often occurs only when the land is cleared or construction begins,” he said. “The risk to the civilian population, especially children, is significant.”  

Senior Sergeant Ririvere called for deeper cooperation across the Pacific, including donor support, regional maritime security partnerships, and better resourcing of local clearance teams. He argued that UXO remediation should be woven into broader environmental security and ocean conservation frameworks. 

For Anna Naupa, the intertwined security threats of gender inequality, climate change and lingering colonial legacies point to the need for cultural security to be recognised as central to any regional peace strategy. “We’re not defending culture with guns. We’re defending a way of life with our actions, words, and intergenerational continuity,” she said.  

Cultural security, she explained, includes traditional knowledge, customary land tenure, governance systems, and Pacific peoples’ sacred relationship with place.  

“The conversation we’re not having is around customary land tenure. It is fundamental to our cultural continuity and existence,” she said. Ms Naupa warned that new concepts like the ‘Ocean of Peace’ should not dilute or distract from long-standing commitments under the Boe Declaration. 

The discussion then returned to legal mechanisms as a means of bolstering commitment. Mr Nayacalevu advocated for converting the Boe Declaration from a non-binding aspiration to a legally enforceable regional treaty.  

“Declarations are statements of intent … but to address sophisticated issues like transnational crime, gender-based violence and climate displacement, we need enforceable standards,” he said.   

He pointed to the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG), where leaders have signed regional treaties on culture, family protection, and judicial cooperation, demonstrating that the Pacific can create and uphold its regulatory frameworks. 

MSG Acting Director-General Ilan Kiloe, attending as a delegate at the conference, reinforced this view, offering insight into how MSG is aligning with and extending the Boe Declaration.

“We have a Treaty on Traditional Knowledge and a dedicated security strategy for Melanesia. We are also exploring the link between climate change and conflict through partnerships with Queensland University,” he said.

He added that the subregional bloc is focused on integrating climate-security responses into its unique Melanesian context, demonstrating how tailored, localised strategies can strengthen wider Pacific frameworks. 

Moderator Joel Nilon, Senior Pacific Fellow at the Pacific Security College, reminded participants of the real task ahead: “We must strengthen, not distract from the Boe Declaration. Align it with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, and ensure it reflects our systems, our people, and our priorities.”  

 

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.

A shared vision for a secure, cohesive and resilient Blue Pacific Continent was the focus of discussions during the Ocean of Peace panel at the Pacific Regional and National Security Conference. 

The headline session brought together senior voices from diplomacy, academia and governance to reflect on the region’s collective response to a convergence of challenges –from intensifying climate impacts and nuclear legacies to growing militarisation and weakening regional cohesion. 

His Excellency Junior Aini, Ambassador of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), shared a heartfelt account of how the twin crises of climate change and nuclear issues continue to shape his nation’s future.  

“I’m not sure how many of you have been to Marshall Islands. You can literally stand at the middle and see from the lagoon side and ocean side, the islands are so narrow. The 3D model that the Pacific Community developed for the RMI shows how the inundations affect the water lengths in our respective islands are very concerning, because water gives life to our crops and our community,” he said.  

He said the nation’s nuclear legacy affected human security, particularly in regards to health and displacement.   

“My grandmother has probably six siblings, all of them except for one, they had thyroid cancers. We also have domestic displacement within our islands. On all of the islands that were used and affected by the nuclear testing, people were displaced.”  

Ambassador Aini urged a recommitment to the region’s shared stance on nuclear issues through the full implementation of the Treaty of Rarotonga, and a renewed push for a nuclear-free Pacific.  

“We cannot have an Ocean of Peace unless we address the nuclear legacy.”   

Solomon Islands Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Collin Beck addressed the shifting tides of global power and its implications for the region’s autonomy and security. 

“The new reality is basically we now have a fast changing international system that is moving from a mono-polar world into a multi-polar world. We just need to adapt,” he said. 

“We should not try to have a pessimistic view of this changing international system.  

“When we look at the Ocean of Peace … the whole purpose is basically for the Pacific region to navigate this changing environment, to navigate it with sense of certainty, with a sense of real reliability, and with a sense of sense of direction. 

“If there is anything that needs to go into the Ocean of Peace, we would like to see principle of neutrality cemented in it. We should not have any militarisation that targets any third country.” 

Mr Beck spoke about the cracks in Pacific solidarity – from diverging national positions on the Fukushima water discharge to fragmented voting blocs in the United Nations. 

“One of the biggest challenges is building Pacific solidarity. We are not together on many of the issues we should be together,” he said. 

Associate Professor Anna Powles, from Massey University, warned that internal fractures may prove as destabilising as any external threat. 

“One of the greatest challenges to the region that we’re facing is increased fracturing within the regional system, within the regional order, and that’s partly as a consequence of the way in which strategic competition has become quite a disruptive force within the region,” she said. 

“It also is a consequence of growing national interests, growing sub-regional interests, and this push-and-pull friction that we’re experiencing across the region, and that has significant implications for how regional bodies and how leaders begin to seek to respond to these issues.” 

Associate Professor Powles highlighted the number of declarations, agreements and extensive regional architecture that has been developed across the region.  

“We need to be really careful as we talk about an Ocean of Peace as a new form of potential architecture or arrangement … that through these efforts to bolster and safeguard regionalism we’re not inadvertently undermining the very thing that we’re trying to protect.” 

Beyond institutional frameworks and strategic alignments, panellists agreed peace must be grounded in people – in their rights, dignity, culture, and aspirations. 

Professor Transform Aqorau, Vice-Chancellor of Solomon Islands National University, articulated a vision of peace that begins not in treaties, but in lived experience. 

“The peace we seek must start with people. That peace must serve the people, not geopolitics, not the elites in the region, not distant interests. When our people live with lives that are uncertain about food, the displacement from climate change, or even the erosion of their cultural identity, peace is already compromised,” he said. 

“Peace begins with putting the interest and dignity of our people first.” 

Professor Aqorau acknowledged the impact of geopolitical tensions and the importance of strong governance and leadership.  

“We must be clear that for us in the Pacific, we should not be a chessboard in someone else’s grand game. We are sovereign people. We are proud peoples, and therefore not prizes to be claimed by others. Our peace should not depend on choosing sides, but on asserting our needs, on our terms and on our collective aspirations,” he said.  

“Don’t forget also that we really require bold and ethical leadership in the region. Peace is not going to come from slogans or sentiments, but it will come from the moral courage of our leaders and the responsibility of our executives.” 

While the region is rich in vision and frameworks, its capacity to translate these into action remains uneven, several panellists noted. The implementation gap, long acknowledged but still unresolved, was a central theme of the session. 

Mr Sione Tekiteki, Senior Lecturer at Auckland University of Technology, urged the region to turn its powerful narratives into unified action. 

“When we’re talking about the Ocean of Peace, are we talking yet again about principles? Or are we willing to move beyond that and start making some concrete compromises that can actually move the region forward? Because one of my biggest observations is we do narrative very well. We do identity very well, but we don’t do implementation. We don’t do enforcement very well,” Mr Tekiteki said. 

He encouraged leaders to draw strength from the region’s existing instruments including the Rarotonga Treaty, the Boe Declaration and the 2050 Strategy and consolidate them into a cohesive Pacific rulebook. 

“Maybe it’s time we start thinking about how we articulate ourselves, particularly because there’s a lot of interest in the region, so there’s a lot of leverage there, but we need to package everything rather than just talking about things in isolation,” he said.

The speakers noted that bridging this gap will require stronger emphasis on human development, cultural integrity, and inclusive education. True peace, the panel emphasised, cannot exist without social justice, safe communities and empowered citizens. 

Dr Manumatavai Tupou-Roosen, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of the South Pacific, called attention to the human toll of insecurity. 

“Two-thirds of our women suffer violence. Forty to sixty per cent of our children drop out of school. It’s quite confronting the human trafficking, the rise in HIV cases, including in our country here,” she said.  

“And so when we think about peace, and this work towards a 2050 that’s an Ocean of Peace, it has to embrace the human elements and these human costs and human challenges, and it has to invest in our people.” 

Dr Tupou-Roosen championed partnerships that nurture both formal and non-formal education, strengthen cultural knowledge systems, and foster leadership grounded in identity and service. 

“Peace is something we never take for granted. It’s something that we must actively and constantly work at.” 

The Ocean of Peace panel set the scene for a futures exercise to be held on the final day of the conference. Insights from the exercise will contribute to the drafting of a regional declaration on the Ocean of Peace, to be considered by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in September. 

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. 

The region’s escalating methamphetamine crisis was a key focus at the Pacific Regional and National Security Conference today, as law enforcement leaders and regional stakeholders tackled the transnational nature of the threat in a high-level session on transnational crime and national security.  

The panel included Fiji’s Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu, Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, Donald Yamasombi, Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner (Pacific Command) Nigel Ryan, Dr Jason Mitchell from the Fiji HIV National Outbreak Cluster Response Taskforce, and Virginia Comolli, Head of the Pacific Programme at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime. 

The session highlighted that methamphetamine is no longer just a foreign threat, and how it has become a domestic crisis, threatening the social fabric, health systems, and security infrastructure of Pacific nations. 

“The fight is real, the fight is on our shores, and the fight is within,” said Commissioner Tudravu.  

“Transnational organised crime groups see our region as vulnerable … They are no longer bypassing our islands. They are targeting them.” 

Deputy Commissioner Yamasombi said Papua New Guinea (PNG) now sees itself as a key transit point due to its geographic location. “We are strategically located, just 30 minutes from the Australian coastline,” he said.

“As I sit here this morning and talk to you, back home we’ve got an operation going on. Code name Operation KTV – it’s actually derived from the packaging they use for cocaine. On the first of July, we actually busted 60 kilograms of cocaine. We believe there is about three tonnes of illicit drugs stockpiled in-country, ready to be moved across the seas into Australia and New Zealand.” 

He warned of the growing risk to PNG’s youth population. “The biggest concern we have is when people are in possession of these illicit substances, the excess of these drugs getting into the hands of the young population is very highly likely. If our young generation indulges in such activities, what sort of a future do we have? Are we going to have substance users as future leaders or workers in our industries?” 

He also pointed to successful joint operations with international partners. 

“We’ve seen black flights into the country. In 2021, we stopped an import of methamphetamine from the US to PNG — that joint operation with Homeland Security, AFP, and PNG police convinced our politicians to pass the Controlled Substances Act 2021.” 

Assistant Commissioner Nigel Ryan agreed, stating: “The problem has been that those drugs were destined historically for Australia, but we’re actually seeing more of the product being left in the Pacific and that’s where you start to see the damage and harm that these drugs do in our communities. 

“It’s not just a law enforcement problem, because you’re never going to arrest your way out of a problem like this. It’s actually a problem that needs to be dealt with much more holistically in terms of law enforcement, health, legislators, academia, and educating the community.” 

Dr Mitchell highlighted the human cost of inaction. “What we’re now seeing is that drug use is no longer a fringe problem. It’s connected to rising HIV, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, and domestic violence. Communities are breaking down under the weight of untreated addiction and disease,” he said. 

He called for urgent implementation of harm reduction strategies such as needle and syringe programs, noting that, “We have seen the health consequences of methamphetamine … and we are behind the curve.” 

Ms Comolli said the region must move beyond isolated national responses and work towards a unified strategy. 

“If we do not start thinking regionally and resourcing locally, we are going to lose this fight. The meth trade is outpacing our current responses,” she warned. 

The panellists collectively emphasised the need to align responses with the Boe Declaration on Regional Security, which calls for expanded definitions of security to include human and environmental wellbeing.  

Speakers also referenced the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent as a blueprint for a safe, secure, and resilient region.  

“The 2050 Strategy gives us the vision, but now we need the tools,” said Dr Mitchell. “That includes real-time data, harm reduction programs, and law enforcement that works with, not against, health interventions.” 

The session highlighted the importance of integrated strategies, community education, intelligence sharing, and stronger cross-border enforcement to disrupt criminal networks. 

“We must embrace regional solidarity,” Ms Comolli said. “We are stronger when we work together: law enforcement, civil society, and the health sector.” 

Commissioner Tudravu closed the session with an urgent message. “Let us not wait until it is too late. This is our Pacific, and we must defend it together.”

 

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.