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Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Pacific islands agree on $270M policing initiative.

The establishment of a new $270 million Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) emerged as the major agreement from this week’s Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders’ meeting. The initiative will include a central police development and coordination hub in Brisbane, Australia, four police training centers throughout the region, and a new multinational force called the Pacific Police Support Group for regional emergencies and transnational crime response.

Leading the design of the PPI will be the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police, a multilateral body formed in 1970 to facilitate regional policing agreements. Although the concept for the PPI came from Pacific Island countries, Australia will provide most of the funding.

The latest paper from Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy, and Defense Dialogue (AP4D) advocates for Pacific-led regionalism and emphasizes Australia’s role in supporting institutional arrangements within the Pacific Islands region. Recognizing Australia’s resources and capabilities, it is crucial to value the knowledge and experience that Pacific Island countries contribute to effectively operate within the region.

Australia’s past creation of parallel agencies like the Pacific Fusion Center and the Pacific Security College did not align with Pacific Island countries’ priorities. In contrast, the PPI has greater regional credibility as it is driven by the region itself.

For successful Pacific regionalism, Canberra must embrace Pacific-led processes and be empathetic to smaller countries’ needs. The impetus for the PPI demonstrates alignment on traditional security matters within the PIF and reflects a rejection of China’s proposed region-wide security pact in 2022.

The new PPI will operate on an opt-in model within the existing Pacific regional architecture, emphasizing sovereign decision-making. The agreement reached within the PIF showcases the strength of Pacific regionalism, where each member has distinct national interests but can come together to enhance the region’s capabilities.

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