Fiji will develop a National Peacekeeping Strategy, Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister Pio Tikoduadua told Parliament, saying it is time to rethink the scope and purpose of the country’s international peacekeeping commitments.
Tikoduadua framed peacekeeping as more than a military duty, calling it “a moral and civic” responsibility. Drawing on his own experience as a former peacekeeper, he paid tribute to the sacrifice of Fijian personnel, noting more than 50,000 Fijians have served in peace operations since 1978 and describing those who died in service as having their sacrifice “written into the moral architecture of this nation.”
While affirming Fiji’s longstanding record — including the decades‑long deployment to the Sinai Peninsula — Tikoduadua asked whether past patterns of deployment still suit today’s strategic context. He said Fiji must ask whether it should continue to accept every request, maintain current deployment sizes, or reassess which missions best align with national priorities and the wellbeing of its people.
The National Peacekeeping Strategy, he said, will be a “serious and forward‑looking framework,” not a generic policy. Key elements he identified include:
– clear criteria for selecting missions;
– standardised and improved pre‑deployment training and equipment;
– provisions for post‑service care, family support and reintegration of veterans.
Tikoduadua also reaffirmed Fiji’s leadership in the Pacific and pointed to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) as a successful model of combining peacekeeping and peacebuilding. He urged that consistency not be mistaken for complacency, and said Fiji must adapt its contributions “to match the world as it is, not as it was.”
Additional context and practical considerations
– Modern peace operations have grown more complex; many states and experts now emphasise the need for updated training, protective equipment, mental health and family support, and clearer mission selection criteria to protect personnel and ensure national interests are served.
– Past statements and visits by the minister and defence officials have also highlighted issues such as logistical and equipment gaps, the need for stronger veteran services, and improving gender inclusion in deployments — practical matters the new strategy could address.
– International funding uncertainties and shifting UN priorities make it prudent for Fiji to clarify which missions deliver strategic value and how to sustain support for its troops.
Summary
Fiji’s government will draft a National Peacekeeping Strategy to guide future decisions on deployments, training, equipment, and veteran support. The move reflects a desire to preserve Fiji’s moral leadership in peace operations while ensuring contributions are sustainable, effective, and aligned with national interests.
Hopeful angle
A deliberate, well‑crafted strategy can strengthen protection and support for Fijian troops, improve deployment outcomes, and preserve Fiji’s respected role in international peacekeeping — ensuring the nation’s long legacy of service continues in ways that better protect personnel and better reflect contemporary security challenges.
Suggested follow‑ups and next steps for reporting or government action
– Publish a timeline for when the strategy will be drafted, consulted on, and adopted.
– Outline consultation plans with veterans, serving personnel, families, regional partners and UN bodies.
– Provide initial budgetary estimates or funding commitments to implement training, equipment and veteran care measures.
– Specify interim guidance on current deployments (for example, Sinai) while the strategy is finalised.
Logical explanation
Revisiting peacekeeping policy is a rational response to changing global security dynamics, domestic obligations to personnel and families, and the need to allocate limited defence resources where they deliver the most strategic and humanitarian value.
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