The ninth annual South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) wrapped up today in Auckland, New Zealand, featuring Defence Ministers and representatives from Australia, Chile, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga. Observers from Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States were also present, alongside Mr. Baron Waqa, the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, who attended as a special guest.
This year’s theme was “Collectively Looking to the Future: Our Region in 2050,” focusing on critical regional security challenges like climate change, maritime security, and strategic competition. Discussions highlighted the necessity for stronger cooperation and a unified strategy to address these complex issues, reaffirming the commitment of Pacific countries to enhance the region’s overall security and resilience.
Key outcomes from the SPDMM included the endorsement of the Pacific Response Group (PRG), aimed at improving disaster response capabilities across the Pacific. The ministers also explored maritime security cooperation to boost domain awareness and agreed to continue collaboration and intelligence sharing to combat threats such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and transnational crime.
Climate change was identified as a security issue and will remain a standing agenda item for future SPDMM meetings. The ministers reiterated their dedication to strengthening regional capacities to cope with disasters resulting from climate change.
Additionally, the ministers welcomed a report on non-traditional threats, noting how military forces in the South Pacific are addressing issues like cyber threats, natural disasters, and health crises, in accordance with the Boe Declaration on Regional Security. They also discussed the establishment of the Pacific Defence Faith Network and expressed their commitment to advancing the Women, Peace, and Security agenda to tackle challenges related to recruitment and career advancement in Pacific militaries.
Support was given for launching a regional training framework aimed at improving military training coordination set for 2025. Chile’s initiative to create the SPDMM Academic Cooperation Network received praise.
Fiji’s delegation, led by Pio Tikoduadua, significantly contributed to the discussions on the Regional Training Framework, which will now integrate defence civilian training streams for a more comprehensive approach to building defence capabilities throughout the South Pacific.
The meeting concluded with a shared dedication to Pacific-led solutions and an agreement to reconvene in Chile for SPDMM 2025.