BY LORETTA B MANELE
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Security Strategy is significant for the Melanesian sub-region.
This was revealed by Mason Smith, Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration who represents Fiji as the Chair of the MSG Security Strategy Working Group.
He spoke with the media after their first meeting yesterday at Mendana Hotel emphasizing that the MSG security strategy is significant for the Melanesian sub-region because we face common threats right across the region and we must have common solutions to deal with those common threats.
“We must understand that we also have common challenges, challenges so far as funding is concerned, our capabilities and our resources”
“So, we have to come together as a sub-region, a Melanesian sub-region, to be able to work together to articulate for ourselves how we are going to address these common security challenges”
Smith said the security landscape is constantly changing and we are now faced with a region that is not only dealing with geopolitical conflicts, but one that is also dealing with non-traditional challenges.
He mentioned that what is good for Solomon Islands will also be good for Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and New Caledonia.
“So, it is imperative that we work together as a sub-region, collectively, to come up with common solutions to those common threats”
According to the chairman, the security strategy is eyeing six key strategic priorities that will be recommended to the ministers for their approval.
The first strategy is to deal with the security of our borders and maritime space.
Smith mentioned that we have huge maritime borders but we also have land borders that we have to secure.
Dealing with cyber space and the threat posed by cyber security by non-state and state actors is the second key strategic priority.
“Thirdly, we have got to realize the increasing influence of transnational organized crimes”
Smith said we have increasing drug trade through the Pacific and in the Pacific as well as trafficking of persons and organized crime cartels that are laundering money through the region.
The next priority is on how to deal with those who may be affected by natural disasters.
Smith expressed that every year, we have to deal with our cyclone season from November to April thus need to come together as a sub-region to agree on how we are going to respond to our Melanesian brothers and sisters who may be affected by disasters.
The fifth priority of the security strategy is to understand the growing impact of climate change.
Smith stated that our leaders have made it very clear in recent statements that climate change is the most pressing threat facing our countries.
He expressed that with climate changes comes issues like coastal erosion, sea level rise, ocean warming, destruction of corals and migration of fish.
“It is a challenge to food security and the very livelihood and existence of our Pacific peoples, specifically our Melanesian brothers and sisters”
The final key priority is health security.
Smith said these are the six strategic areas that the security strategy has identified to present to our ministers early next year.
He voiced that MSG members are one people and have to work as one people.
Smith said the strategy is driven by the police ministers’ meeting and will be presented to them in Indonesia in early 2025.
