Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai has officially opened the Pacific Defence Faith Network (PDFN), calling on faith leaders and defence personnel across the Pacific to play a more active role in shaping the region’s next generation of security leaders. The initiative, launched as part of the South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting, seeks to deepen dialogue on how spirituality, leadership and security cooperation intersect across Pacific Island nations.
This year’s forum, titled “Deep Roots,” was presented as a reflection of the initiative’s growing stability and reach. Organisers say the network brings together chaplains, religious leaders, military officers and defence representatives from across the Pacific to consider how shared values, traditions and faith-based mentorship can contribute to regional cohesion and professional development within defence forces.
In his opening address, Major General Kalouniwai emphasised spirituality as a formative influence on character and decision-making for those in uniform, positioning the PDFN as both a space for reflection and a catalyst for practical action. He urged chaplains, officers and defence delegates to take an active mentoring role for emerging leaders, arguing that moral guidance and spiritual resilience should complement technical training and strategic education in preparing leaders for complex security challenges.
Kalouniwai also highlighted the role of collective identity in strengthening cooperation across the region. By recognising common faith traditions and values, he said, Pacific nations can enhance mutual trust and unity in defence partnerships. The Commander framed the network as a platform to shape ethical leadership norms that underpin professional conduct, operational decision-making and community engagement by defence institutions.
The PDFN adds a faith-centred dimension to existing efforts that mobilise religious and community groups on national security and social issues. In recent months Fiji’s government and security agencies have emphasised whole-of-society approaches to challenges such as the country’s drug crisis, involving traditional leaders and faith organisations in prevention and rehabilitation work. The new network aims to broaden that approach across the Pacific region by linking spiritual mentorship more directly to defence leadership development and cooperation.
Major General Kalouniwai’s involvement underscores the Republic of Fiji Military Forces’ engagement with both professional standards and community-facing roles. As RFMF commander, he has in recent times overseen internal reviews and leadership accountability measures within the military; his advocacy for spiritual mentorship at the PDFN signals an effort to combine institutional reform with values-based guidance for personnel.
Organisers say the Pacific Defence Faith Network will continue discussions throughout the forum, exploring practical mentorship models, chaplaincy roles in defence forces and ways to integrate spiritual well-being into leadership training. The initiative marks a new front in regional defence diplomacy, seeking to marry cultural and religious commonalities with security cooperation across Pacific Islands.
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