PM: We must tap neighbours to fight crime

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says Fiji must rely on the superior technology and intelligence capabilities of its regional partners to win the fight against transnational crime.

The Prime Minister made the comments as Pacific leaders and law enforcement agencies gathered in Nadi this week for the 2026 Pacific Transnational Crime Summit.

“Some are better equipped than ours, so we have to tag on to their technology and try and work with them as they provide us information from further than our own intelligence gathering capacity can give us,” Mr Rabuka said yesterday.

He said he expected the summit to provide a clear understanding of what each country could contribute and where existing gaps remained.

“My expectation is that we will have a clear understanding of the limitations of our resources, and what we can gain from cooperating with them as far as our areas of interest are concerned, and what we can do in our joint fight,” he said.

The summit, co-hosted by the Fiji Police Force and the Australian Federal Police, runs from May 17 to 22 and has brought together senior law enforcement officers from across the Pacific, Five Eyes law enforcement agencies, INTERPOL and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Republic of Fiji Military Forces Naval Division commander, Timoci Natuva, said timely intelligence sharing was critical to effective responses.

“For us, it’s the sharing of information in a timely manner, so we can respond,” Commodore Natuva said.

The summit comes as the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and the Fiji Police Force launched a Joint Counter Narcotics Task Force operation, with Brigadier-General Manoa Gadai declaring there would be “no haven for criminals involved in the illicit drug trade”.

Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu called for a collective approach, saying Pacific nations must work together to address the root causes of transnational crime and develop workable solutions.

The summit also marks a key milestone under the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Union, which identifies security — including intelligence sharing and maritime surveillance — as a core pillar of the strengthened partnership.