BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE
ACTING Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare says Pacific island governments and intelligence groups must continue to work with communities and security agencies to build networks and partnerships that will address the threat to our own national security.
He raised this when speaking as a guest speaker at a two-day South Pacific Intelligence Dialogue at the Heritage Park hotel last week.
While voicing the need to strengthen national and regional intelligence networks in the region, Mr Sogavare said that it is an important matter of concern for all Pacific island countries to work together collaboratively.
“The successful implementation of any security decision rests on the value of intelligence received. Like they say, timely and quality intelligence provides better platform for states to make good decisions for the wellbeing of their country,” he said.
Sogavare also said that he is pleased to note that our regional countries have been cooperating well on the matter through the regional framework and bilateral cooperation.
He proceeded to stress that although the diversity of our region doesn’t make the challenge any much easier with the never ending stretches of maritime boundaries and geographical features placing us in a position of being more susceptible to crime syndicates and opportunists, we must be persistent in our obligations.
“Keeping our region safe is our core responsibility and that demands greater cooperation from all of us,” said Sogavare.
He furthered that emphasis on cooperation is an important call thus when it comes to the issue of regional security the message we must take in is that we are not and should not be operating in isolation of each other.
“We literally become our brother’s keeper,” said Sogavare.
