PACIFIC LEADERS ENDORSE PACIFIC POLICING INITIATIVE

Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has joined other Pacific leaders to endorse the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI), a major regional initiative to strengthen collective peace and security throughout the Pacific.

“This policing initiative continues a long history of Pacific police forces working together to strengthen regional peace and security, and to support each other in times of need.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.“The security of the Pacific is the shared responsibility of the Pacific region and this initiative benefits each of our nations.”

“This is a Pacific-led, Australia-backed initiative, harnessing our collective strengths. We are stronger together.

The PPI will boost the capability of Pacific nations to meet law and order and internal security requirements and to support each other in times of need.

The PPI has three pillars:

• Up to four regional police training Centres of Excellence, located in the Pacific, to enhance policing capabilities through specialist training and operational support for Pacific police personnel.
• The Pacific Police Support Group (PPSG) – a multi-country police capability, with a ready pool of trained Pacific police to deploy in response to Pacific country requirements, such as for major event management or additional capacity in times of crisis.
• A PPI Policing Development and Coordination Hub to be hosted in Brisbane – including access to state-of-the-art AFP facilities for training and to prepare for any PPSG deployments.

Australia will commit approximately AUD400 million over five years to ensure the PPI delivers on the aspirations of Pacific countries.

Australia’s contribution will include infrastructure costs associated with new policing Centres of Excellence in the region.

The PPI is a practical contribution to the Pacific Islands Forum’s peace and security vision outlined in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and it builds on the recent experience of the Solomons International Assistance Force.

Discussions on an integrated regional policing capability were first held at the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police meeting in 2023.

Pacific police are finalizing a PPI design process that ensures this initiative will be by the Pacific and for the Pacific.