Joint Press Conference, Fiji

SUBJECTS: South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting (SPDMM); Defence Training Hub; Pacific Response Group (PRG)

PIO TIKODUADUA [FIJI DEFENCE MINISTER]: Thank you and once again, welcome to members of the South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting and everyone that's here this afternoon. At the conclusion of the 11th SPDMM meeting. I’m going to make a short verbal statement, and then I'll of course offer the floor and also to my colleague ministers who would to add their bits to it. And then we will have a question and answer session after that, and that will then conclude, at least this segment of our meeting this afternoon. Ladies and gentlemen, and a very good afternoon to you all. Let me say that it has indeed been an honour for Fiji to host the 2026 South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting and welcome colleagues, partners and friends from across the Pacific. The theme of this meeting is securing the blue Pacific, collective responsibility, resilient futures. The reality that security in the Pacific is a shared responsibility, no single country regardless of its size or capability can address these issues alone. This part continues to grow as a variable and respected column for regional defence co-operation. It provides an opportunity of honest dialogue, strategic engagement, and practical collaboration among countries that share a common interest in a fiscal, stable, and resilient Pacific. Importantly, this forum allows us to move beyond discussion and focus on actions. Over the last three days, we have had a number of discussions on important regional security topics, including trans-national crime, climate change, and our SPDMM response mechanism, the Pacific response crew.  Most importantly, we have had the opportunity to build a professional and personal relationships that enable us to work together effectively when our region needs us most. We often talk about the centre of gravity, [indistinct] of a friendly host, that is the primary source of an entity's power and from where it grows strength. It is my belief that for this SPDMM our centre of gravity remains our relationship. They are what enables us to operate so effectively when training, exercising, and ultimately deploying together. They enable us to pick up the phone and call one another in times of crisis.  It has been a privilege to host our SPDMM colleagues to further develop these friendships.  

So, what comes out of the SPDMM 2026 and as I have outlined this forum is about action, not just talk. Accordingly, I am pleased to highlight some of the key outcomes we have discussed. We advanced training on an expanded mandate for the Pacific response crew to include stabilisation of operations. We agreed to take a phased approach to this work, recognising the need to consolidate current humanitarian assistant effort that we presently pursue. Now linked to this we discussed a number of lines of efforts related to peace keeping operations, sorry, peace keeping co-operation including co-ordinate peace keeping training and exercises. We also discussed the legal framework for future SPDMM deployments involving the PRG and agreed to commence formal negotiations on an SPDMM status and process agreement.

As a collective we recognised an intensifying trend of tense national organised crime in the region and its impact on our communities. Following the recent Pacific Island foreign leaders meetings agreement in principle to develop the concept to combat trans-national crime, we agreed to export what South Pacific militaries could potentially contribute to this initiative. Across some of these topics there was the strong recognition of the importance of regional consultation, co-ordination and consensus. Accordingly, we are pleased to announce the inclusion of the Pacific Islands Foreign Secretariat as a standing observer to SPDMM and ongoing efforts to establish an SPDMM defence advisor position within the Pacific Island Foreign Secretary.  In conclusion, let me say once again it has been an honour and a privilege to host this year's SPDMM and I am pleased to advise that the next host of SPDMM in 2027 will be Australia, and with that I would like to hand over to my Australian friend, the Assistant Minister for Defence, the Honourable Peter Khalil. Peter. 

PETER KHALIL [ASSISTANT MINISTER]: Thank you so much Minister Pio, and I want to start by expressing my deep gratitude and thanks to the Fiji Government and the people of Fiji for what has been a very warm welcome and the hospitality that we have experienced. We talk a lot about the Pacific family and I think I can truly say we feel like we have been welcomed and greeted as genuine family members for these meetings. And like all family we have a lot of discussions, like all families there's a diversity of views and like all families, good families, we reach consensus on many issues and we propel ourselves forward through that consensus, and I think it's important also to note that like families, when we make our contribution we're not expecting something in return, it's not transactional, and I say this because this is an important part of the South Pacific Defence Minister's Meeting and this type of regional architecture. We are making investments and contributions in to the relationships because we value those relationships and the reason we value those relationships is because we have shared values, our belief in protecting our sovereignty, our independence as nations, a free and open Pacific where our peoples can fulfil their potential, the social and economic potential of our peoples, protecting our way of life is paramount for all of us, so when we make our contributions as part of the Pacific family, we are doing so because we are investing in a relationship that has solid foundations as a family.  

And I would want to say too that many of the things that we have achieved in the last couple of days are substantive as Minister Pio has pointed out because when our militaries work together and we have that co-ordination and that co-operation we are very much an asset for the region, for the peace, stability and security of our region.  And in many respects we are investing in a shared resilience. This SPDMM as we call it, is vitally important to Australia and to all of us in this region because, as Minister Pio has pointed out, it provides a forum for us to not only discuss our shared security priorities but also to agree and work through substantive action items that strengthen our co-operation and I've really welcomed the opportunity amongst all the member nations to work through so many of our issues and enhance our collaboration and promote the stability and security of our region. The minister mentioned some of these, and I was very pleased to see the work that we've done around the evolution of what we call the Pacific Response Group where our militaries have worked already together on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in a very effective way, an expansion of that, or a broader mandate for the PAG for peace, security and stabilisation efforts as well. 

Minister Pio also mentioned the fact that we have this wonderful interlinking with the Pacific Islands Forum, and we have the Secretary-General attending this year's meetings, and now that will be a standing invitation for the PIF Secretary-General to attend SPDMM in to the future. And that really strengthens our linkages between the Pacific Islands Forum and the SPDMM, supporting a much more integrated and coordinated regional security architecture. And then finally, Minister Pio mentioned that we are hosting next year's SPDMM, Australia is hosting next year's SPDMM. I was very pleased after we made the offer during the meeting that it was endorsed by all members, unanimously; there was no diversity there, and I think that's partly because we have a lot­ — big shoes to fill, because Fiji's SPDMM was a spectacular success and all credit due to Minister Pio and the entire team here in Fiji. We have big shoes to fill. The one advantage I think we have is that we are hosting the Rugby World Cup next year so I'm going to I think have to organise many of the meetings to coincide with some of the big games so that we can at least attend those games and do some business on the sidelines as well. But we are very much looking forward to hosting the 12th SPDMM in 2027. It is because Australia — we put such a strong commitment and belief in being a partner that the region can count on which is why we will continue to listen to our neighbours, to our partners and our allies, support Pacific-led solutions and work together to help preserve that peaceful, stable and prosperous Blue Pacific region which in which sovereignty is respected. That's fundamental to all of us. So once again, I thank our most gracious hosts Fiji and Minister Pio particularly all of your team, for what has been a wonderful SPDMM with great progress and achievement, and looking forward to the SPDMM in 2027 in Australia.  

BRIGADIER GENERAL JEROME THEILLIER [FRENCH DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS]: Good morning everybody. France as a Pacific nation, is very proud to be part of SPDMM and I will recall that we share, obviously all the values and principles that has been recalled such as independence, sovereignty, respect, co-operation, openness and [indistinct]. So we are fully committed to security, peace and stability in the South Pacific and to show this involvement, the French Minister was present during this SPDMM meeting, unfortunately she is not there today because she had to be back due to visa responsibilities, but she was very impressed by the atmosphere and what was at stake during these two days. So this presence is very important for France, and we hope next year she will be there as well in Canberra and in Australia. What presence as well, the French Commander of the [indistinct] in New Caledonia and it's important to record his presence because he is, I would say one of the faces of France in the region and is very involved to organise exercises such as [indistinct], very important exercise in the region to strengthen stability, peace and security in the region. So I will conclude to thank you Mr Minister, it was very important that you had a [indistinct] meeting with Mrs Vautrin, we are more than happy to have had this few days. Thank you so much for your warm welcome, personally, I was — a few years ago — appointed in New Caledonia, and I feel the spirit once more. Thank you so much. Merci.

RODRIGO ALVAREZ [CHILEAN UNDERSECRETARY FOR DEFENCE]: Thank you sir. For Chile, this is very important to be part of this meeting because SPDMM is a way to contribute as a country in all the initiatives regarding the safe, free and open, and resilient South Pacific. In the case of Chile we provide a vision from the other side of the Pacific. Finally, thanks Fiji for hosting this important strategy meeting. 

ELIAS KAPAVORE [PAPUA NEW GUINEA DEFENCE MINISTER]: Thank you Minister for your leadership in hosting the 11th SPDMM. We believe that this supportive avenue provides an important voice for us to come together as a region and talk about security within our region. It's becoming very critical nowadays. Building a resilience is critical. The 11th SPDMM provides an open and a new [indistinct] for us to reorganise ourselves and provides more access to what we’re talking about. Talking about the countries put together in the region that totals up to 30 million square kilometres - that's quite big. [Indistinct] alone has up to 3 million [Indistinct] and is becoming quite unregulated, and we believe that such forums ongoing collaboration is avenues and provide voice for us to reorganise and re-establish our — strengthen our security within our region. So we would like to see more in terms of maritime resilience in the space as you go forward. I acknowledge the support, ongoing support, from Australia and many of our leaders within the region in supporting us and continuing to have such an avenue coming together and providing such direction and seeing that this kind of ongoing development must continue to expand in the region. Thank you. 

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS TUPOUTO’A ‘ULUKALALA [TONGA DEFENCE MINISTER]: Thank you very much Honourable Pio. I think from comments like we value very much this SPDMM that you have been able to host, fostering the honesty so we can share not only our interests, but to provide clarity in things like our roles between the military and civilians, and this of course, fosters a trust that exists between families, between our Pacific family. And I value, in my opinion, how the emphasis that the meeting has put on evolving our capabilities before we go on to address the further interest that we may have. I think these capabilities also foster the trust that we expect out of this forum by showing that we can rely on each other not only on professionals, but our leaders here. And we see this as a way we can secure our Pacific and contribute to our collective responsibility, thank you very much.  

TIKODUADUA: Thank you, Your Highness. Now we will take a couple of questions from the media. Please identify yourself and to whom you wish to direct the question to.  

JOURNALIST: My question directed to Mr Tikoduadua, so in what other ways can Fiji can benefit? 

TIKODUADUA: Yeah, with the exception of New Zealand, that's not at the table at the moment, the sum of our collective effort and what we will bring to the table really is the strength of this partnership. In some of the more technical ways that I have already outlined that it seems we would like to do, so at the moment our efforts, particularly here in Fiji, in many ways and a lot of the initiatives that we would like to do together focus around building capacity and capability here in Fiji, so Blackrock, the camp, the peacekeeping camp that we have here, and also the centre for the capability already situated here in Nadi, so that's one thing we already have. Then of course we have [indistinct] that is now going to be stronger and become further enabled as we co-ordinate much of our regional security together, especially how we share information. This is a very important role, particularly the future role of how the defence forces are going to play a role in keeping our Pacific safe, particularly from the effects of drugs, which is something that we are battling, every country is battling this, including Fiji. So the utilisation of some of the resources that we have agreed here together, which you must have heard earlier Australia had announced the procurement [indistinct] of two blue bottle surface vessels [indistinct] capabilities that will are quite high into the sea, in the day and the night, with the capacity to be able to help independent operations for up to two months in the water. So this is some of the more tangible outcomes. Whilst the hope is still [indistinct] you know that we do a lot of our combined training together, but one of the new things that we are kind of invested in today is the mandate around the PRG and the route that it should take. And that is the role around security stabilisation. It's not something new, it is something that we have already done together.  So things like [indistinct] and some of the military components are still there today. Then we have agreed to explore fully because there are legal issues and different sovereignties that have to go back to our capital to fix that up. So Fiji seeks to benefit a lot really from this and we are very fortunate to host all of our friends here today, and might I say, that we are not the only countries that will benefit. Of course our other friends from also across the Pacific and also Papua New Guinea also have similar benefits.  

JOURNALIST: I'm from Islands Business. So my question is, is there any possibility of using Indonesian and Taiwanese or Japanese military assets to protect the region as they also lead in the Pacific ring?  

TIKODUADUA: Any takers? You start Peter. 

KHALIL:  You give me all the hard questions, Minister Pio. 

TIKODUADUA: No, no.

KHALIL: It's a good question.  A very good question.  I think the countries that you mention are very much engaged in the Pacific. I think all of our member nations here, work constructively and co-operatively with Japan and Indonesia and they have a presence here in the region. I think the basis of the co-ordination that we do with countries across Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asia is the same. We share the same intent, which is to have a free, open, stable and secure Pacific where our peoples can trade freely, where sovereignty is protected, where independence and sovereignty are protected, where there's an opportunity for our peoples to engage with each other peacefully, and that there are rules of the sea and rules, a normative framework which we abide by, which benefit all of us as trading nations in our engagement and the contributions that are made by countries across the region all add to that, the security and military contributions are all about ensuring we protect that trade and the sea lanes and that sovereignty. So we welcome efforts by all the countries of the region to contribute positively in that respect.  

JOURNALIST: My question is for Mr Tikoduadua. Are there any social or defence implications we must be aware of with greater presence of foreign troops? 

TIKODUADUA: So,[indistinct] this is not a new thing or a new development. We have been to war, most of our colleague friends and their nations have, you know the Second World War and even during the First World War contained in Europe. We've done a lot of operations together through peacekeeping where we share, a little bit of our peace with the rest of the world together so most of us are present in that regard in the different missions where we are. And also in stabilising our own region as I alluded to earlier, we are also present together. We do a lot of work together here and one of the best ways that we can work together is to be seen together. It is our way of having that personal interrelationship with our friends, and in that way we also feel that there is a way to connect more deeply in the areas of our common understanding of our common interest where we need to work together. So in Fiji we welcome them and of course we are here primarily in particular because they are in Fiji and supreme to that at least protection, Fiji's sovereignty and also the rights and security of the region as well. Thank you. 

JOOURNALIST: I believe there was some concerns raised about the data that would be shared on this platform. How secure will this be in terms of the exchange of sensitive information between the various defence forces? 

TIKODUADUA:  Information is always sensitive and the data system ensures that that is protected and it's for the benefit of all of its users.  It is something that one country already, we need to agree to share the information with others, and of course sharing data exists at different levels from both unclassified to classified information and they are separate rules and procedures that we have to follow. But we will always try in our best interests to make sure that we maintain the integrity of the information that is received from our partners for the benefit of everyone. Thank you, okay.  

JOURNALIST: Bula, Sir, Fiji has seen an increase of drug related crimes for the past few months.  We would like to know if there were discussions centred around the title of security within time zones for member countries of the South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting? We would like to know if there were discussions centred around the strengthening of security within the time zones?

TIKODUADUA: Yeah, the short answer to that is absolutely. That has been at the very centre of our discussion: transnational organised crime, the existence, in fact all of us, including climate change and amongst drugs as well and cyber-crime and how we use military capability to be able to shake that for us and keep us safer. So I just alluded to, earlier on, similar examples like capabilities, our capability to be able to acquire information readily and in advance. In our discussions the bilateral with our friends from Chile, Fiji, a certain amount of drugs coming to us are coming across from South America.  Not specifically any country, but we would like, you know, we have this shared information, we are sharing information and would allow us to be able to it, particularly any development from around the eastern side of the Pacific, the South Pacific, you know in the Americas. We talked about the vulnerabilities that still exist within our borders and then there are, of course capacities around the PRG, seeking response, right, that will be able to do that, but also, in turn each country looks at the capability that they have already and look at the other states to be able to complement those, including Fiji.  Any more questions? Thank you, that concludes this part of our program.

ENDS