Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia backs the Pacific Policing Initiative, which was endorsed by leaders at yesterday’s Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting in Tonga.
Australia will allocate approximately PGK 1 billion (AUD 400 million) over five years, and provide substantial long-term support to ensure the initiative delivers for Pacific countries.
“This policing initiative continues a long history of Pacific police forces working together to strengthen regional peace and security, and to support each other in times of need,” Prime Minister Albanese said.
“Pacific leaders are working together to shape the future we want to see - improving capability, cooperation and interoperability among Pacific police forces benefits all Pacific countries and the security of our communities.
“This is a Pacific-led, Australia-backed initiative, harnessing our collective strengths. We are stronger together.
“The security of the Pacific is the shared responsibility of the Pacific region and this initiative benefits each of our nations.”
The Pacific Policing Initiative will boost the capability of Pacific countries to meet law and order and internal security requirements.
It will also ensure that participating countries are there to help each other in times of need and to tackle shared and evolving threats like cybercrime, drug importation, illegal fishing, and human trafficking.
The Pacific Policing Initiative will help transform Pacific policing capability and cooperation and will strengthen and support our collective approach to protecting the region.
It will do this by establishing regional policing centres of excellence (where police will undertake specialist training); bringing together a Pacific Policing Support Group deployment capability (where police will train and be able to deploy together in response to requests from Pacific countries); and delivering the Pacific Policing Development and Coordination Hub in Brisbane (which will provide a state of the art training facility).
The Pacific Policing Initiative is a natural progression and maturing of longstanding Pacific policing cooperation to meet the evolving security threats and challenges facing our region.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaking on the Pacific Policing Initiative with PIF leaders including (from left to right) Prime Minister of Fiji, Hon Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, and Prime Minister of Tonga, Hon Hu’akavemeiliku Siaosi Sovaleni.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100