Pacific Policing Initiative to strengthen Pacific peace and security [1]
Wednesday, September 4, 2024 - 14:56. Updated on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 - 15:15.
By Katalina Siasau
The Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) was endorsed by the Pacific leaders at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting last week, on 28 August. The Pacific Policing Initiative is a new regional initiative to strengthen collective peace and security throughout the Pacific.
“Tonga, like many other countries, are facing a number of transnational security challenges, including seeing an increase in drug trafficking within the Pacific in recent years. Tonga, like many Forum members therefore think that it's really important to have a Pacific-led, Pacific-owned initiative that reinforces the existing regional security architecture,” said Tonga’s Prime Minister, Hon. Hu’akavameiliku, last week at the PIFLM53.
The PPI has three focus areas, including:
- to establish up to four regional police training centres to be located in the Pacific to enhance policing capabilities through specialist training and operational support for Pacific police personnel;
- a Pacific Police Support Group (PPSG), with a ready pool of trained Pacific police to deploy in response to Pacific country requirements, such as for major event management or additional capacity in times of crisis;
- a PPI Policing Development and Coordination Hub to be hosted in Brisbane, Australia, including access to state of the art Australian Federal Police (AFP) facilities for training.
The Government of Australia has committed approximately $400 million over five years, in supporting of the implementation of the PPI, including the establishment of a training centre in Brisbane.
"It was a major objective that we had from this Pacific Islands Forum meeting. This demonstrates how Pacific Leaders are working together to shape the future that we want to see," said Australia's Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese.
Meanwhile at the PIF leaders meeting, Papua New Guinea offered to host a Police Officer Training for Forum members, at the Bomana Centre of Excellence, in PNG.
There was also an expression of interest by the Republic of the Marshall Islands to host a Regional Policing Centre of Excellence.
The Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) Forum is currently being held in Nuku'alofa, Tonga this week.