Fjii Rules Out Foreign Military Bases

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has allayed fears over rising geopoliti­cal tensions in the Pacific by reaf­firming Fiji's commitment to promoting the region as an Ocean of Peace.

Responding to questions from Austral­ian media at the National Press Club last month, Mr Rabuka confirmed that Fiji "will not agree to the establishment of a foreign military base" in the country.

In recent years, the Pacific has drawn in­creasing interest, with China and Western nations locked in ongoing strategic compe­tition.

However, this growing rivalry also pre­sen ts Pacific Island leaders with opportu­nities to leverage the competition for devel­opment gains.

Fiji's 2024 Foreign Policy White Paper out­lines the country's primary focus-placing the Pacific family first in regional coopera­tion.

"In discussing the Ocean of Peace con­cept, I stressed that Fiji's highest strate­gic priority is a stable Indo-Pacific region, and its most significant threat lies in the prospect of a region driven by division, in­security and instability," Mr Rabuka said in a ministerial statement in Parliament yesterday.

He said the Ocean of Peace vision was Fi­ji's contribution to maintaining peace and stability in the region.

Acknowledging the 'Vuvale' Partnership and shifting security dynamics, Mr Rabuka said the Fiji-Australia relationship must be enhanced.

"I proposed that it is time to enhance the partnership through a security agreement or treaty," he said.

The high-level talks also covered collabo­ration on tackling crime, especially drugs, improving law enforcement, maritime se­curity, and border management.

Both governments acknowledged the in­creasing complexity of transnational or­ganised crime through maritime and air routes across the Pacific.

"We discussed avenues to improve Fiji's border management system against emerg­ing regional security challenges through sharing of information," Mr Rabuka said.

He added that the meeting also explored ways to enhance border management tech­nologies.

Work is now underway between Fiji Immi­gration and the Australian Border Force on the migration enforcement and response intelligence tool.

This initiative is tied to the Advanced Pas­senger Information System-an electronic system that allows airlines to transmit pas­senger data to border agencies before a flight departs.

Opposition MP Jone Usamate commend­ed the Prime Minister for his commitment to a demilitarised region and his efforts to promote the Pacific as an Ocean of Peace.