BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Commander, Superintendent Nevol Soko represented Solomon Islands at the Royal Australian Navy’s International Fleet Review (125th years anniversary) and the Exercise Kakadu 2026 Commanders’ Conference from 21–23 March 2026 in Sydney, Australia.
Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Maritime Division in a statement yesterday confirmed this, saying the engagements brought together maritime leaders from across the Indo-Pacific to strengthen cooperation, enhance maritime security, and promote the protection of critical shipping lanes, trade routes, and regional economic stability.
At the Commanders’ Conference, Superintendent Soko participated as a panel speaker, where he delivered a presentation focused on maritime crime and its growing impact on Pacific Island countries.
RSIPF said he highlighted key threats including Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, transnational organised crime, people smuggling, illicit trafficking of drugs and weapons and increasing misuse of small boats to exploit porous maritime borders.
Superintendent Soko said these crimes erode national sovereignty, reduce government revenue and threaten food security and sustainable fisheries, key pillars of the Pacific economy.
He also noted that criminal activities at sea can disrupt legitimate trade, shipping lanes and trade routes, increase risks to maritime safety, and place additional strain on limited enforcement resources.
Superintendent Soko voiced that for Solomon Islands and other Pacific nations, maritime crime is not only a security issue but also an economic threat as it weakens investor confidence, disrupts supply chains, and impacts the livelihoods of coastal communities that depend on marine resources.
He called for stronger regional cooperation, intelligence sharing, and coordinated enforcement operations to effectively address these challenges.
Superintendent Soko also reaffirmed the importance of partnerships with regional and international stakeholders in building capacity, strengthening surveillance, and enhancing response capabilities.
On the sidelines of the event, he held bilateral discussions with the Deputy Fleet Commander of the Australian Navy to further strengthen cooperation in operational support, training, and capability development.
“He also met with representatives of the Pacific Maritime Security Programme (PMSP) to identify enforcement gaps, improve maintenance support, and enhance the operational effectiveness of Guardian-class patrol boats,” the statement said.
Superintendent Soko referred to the engagement as one that was timely and productive, pointing out that it provides an avenue to ensure Pacific Islands’ operational perspectives on maritime crime are clearly understood and addressed at the international level.
RSIPF says its Maritime Forice remains committed to combating maritime crime, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring the safety, security, and sustainability of Solomon Islands’ maritime domain for the protection of its people, resources, and economy.
Photo credit: RSIPF
For feedback, contact: [email protected]
Editor: [email protected]
