Fiji’s growing leadership in Pacific maritime security was recognised at the 10th South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM) held in Viña del Mar, Chile recently.
France and Fiji signed a ship-riding agreement allowing foreign agents to embark on French Navy vessels for fisheries control operations. The agreement aims to boost maritime security and interoperability between the two nations. It was signed by French Ambassador to Chile Cyrille Rogeau and Fiji’s Minister for Defence and Veterans’ Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua.
Defence ministers and representatives from Australia, Chile, Fiji, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga welcomed Fiji’s offer to utilise the Vuvale Maritime Essential Services Centre as a regional hub to strengthen coordination against transnational crime and maritime threats.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles said the SPDMM continues to drive Pacific-led cooperation on shared regional challenges.
“Fiji’s leadership through the Vuvale Maritime Centre reflects the region’s collective resolve to strengthen maritime domain awareness and cooperation,” Marles said. “This facility will play a crucial role in intelligence-sharing, surveillance, and rapid response to illicit maritime activities.”
The Vuvale Maritime Centre, established under the Fiji–Australia Vuvale Partnership, supports regional maritime operations, law enforcement, and disaster response.
Members also reaffirmed commitments to address climate-induced disasters and non-traditional security threats while enhancing interoperability and defence collaboration. Fiji and Papua New Guinea were commended for their joint intelligence brief on the Pacific’s evolving security landscape through to 2030.
The meeting concluded with members agreeing that Fiji will host the next SPDMM in 2026, reaffirming its role as a key player in regional security cooperation.
