Fiji to host Pacific’s first police ministers meeting

Fiji will host the Pacific’s first-ever Pacific Police Ministers Meeting on May 19, as regional leaders intensify efforts to combat transnational crime and drug trafficking across the Pacific.

Australia’s Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, Pat Conroy, thanked Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka yesterday for supporting the regional meeting, which will focus heavily on organised crime, illicit drug networks and regional policing cooperation.

Further discussions on the upcoming conference were held at the Vuvale Maritime Essential Services Centre in Suva yesterday afternoon.

The meeting comes amid growing concern over the rise of drug trafficking through Pacific waters, with Fiji increasingly positioned as a transit point for international criminal syndicates.

Mr Conroy said Pacific leaders had repeatedly called for a stronger and more coordinated regional response to transnational crime, particularly drug smuggling.

He said criminal syndicates were targeting Pacific communities, causing devastating impacts on lives, economies and regional security.

Australia and Fiji are expected to co-host the meeting under the strengthened Vuvale Partnership framework, with discussions likely to include intelligence sharing, border security, maritime surveillance and coordinated policing operations across the region.

The regional talks also follow ongoing joint efforts between Fiji and Australia to disrupt drug trafficking routes through Operation Nautilus, which has already resulted in major methamphetamine seizures.

Australia has also pledged further support to strengthen Fiji’s border security systems and maritime policing capabilities as concerns grow over organised crime activity in the Pacific.