DEFENCE Minister Pio Tikoduadua has pushed back at the culture of talkfests, warning that repeated regional gatherings without action risked leaving behind nothing but “hot air.”
Speaking at the Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue yesterday, Mr Tikoduadua said Pacific leaders must move beyond discussion and focus on action to deal with the region’s growing security challenges.
He said too many meetings had produced the same ideas without enough results.
“We’ve had so many of these forums,” he said.
“Those of us that were in this forum last year, we hear repeated ideas and then we wonder whether we’ve actually done anything.”
Mr Tikoduadua said Pacific countries were facing serious issues including drug trafficking, cybercrime, climate change and other security threats.
He said leaders needed to focus on putting plans into action rather than simply talking about them.
“Implementation, implementation, implementation.
“Otherwise, this room is going to be left only with one thing, hot air after we all leave.”
Mr Tikoduadua said countries across the region shared many of the same challenges and needed to work together on practical solutions.
He said stronger laws, better planning and closer regional co-operation were needed to address the issues facing Pacific communities.
His comments were made as ministers, officials and security experts gathered in Suva for a three-day dialogue to discuss regional peace and security.
