FIJI’s Minister for Policing, Ioane Naivalurua, has reaffirmed the Melanesian Spearhead Group’s (MSG) commitment to regional security and unity during the opening of the 7th MSG Peace and Security Strategy (PSS) Working Group Meeting.
Addressing officials from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Indonesia, Naivalurua emphasized the importance of the meeting for both Fiji and the wider Melanesian sub-region.
“The outcome… will determine and set the direction for the region,” he said.
The Peace and Security Strategy, or PSS, is the product of years of collaboration and regional input, designed to strengthen the MSG’s ability to collectively address evolving threats such as transnational crime, cyber-attacks, climate change, and geopolitical tensions.
“What we are all trying to do as a family in the Melanesian Spearhead Group… is to thread together our thoughts, our ideas, grand strategies based on the past, understanding where we are, and a strong ambition to move forward,” said Naivalurua.
He reminded delegates of the Pacific’s shifting narrative—from a region once dubbed the “Ark of Instability” to a rising “Ark of Stability.”
“There is only one region where there is no conflict. That’s our part of the world here in the Pacific Islands,” he said. “We are on track for peaceful and conflict-free. If we can do that, then that’s the way forward for our region.”
The Minister also highlighted alignment with broader Pacific regional frameworks, including the Boe Declaration on Regional Security, the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, and the Ocean of Peace vision endorsed by Pacific leaders.
“This strategy will serve as an underpinning rationale of the Melanesian way, encompassing the values of unity, security and peace.”
Naivalurua urged swift implementation, cautioning against delays.
“It is going to take two years. I think it should not take two years… by the time we turn around, the world has moved.”
“A prosperous and peaceful Melanesia where our people feel safe in an environment that encourages them to pursue their dreams for a better tomorrow,” he added.
Key outcomes from the Suva meeting will be tabled at the upcoming MSG Leaders’ Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, for further deliberation.