Security, cybercrime top forum agenda
Security challenges, Pacific regional and the online challenges posed by cybercrime were among issues discussed at 47th Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) conference held in Nauru. Police chiefs from the 20-member countries of the PICP attended, including Police chiefs from New Caledonia and French Polynesia, attended the conference.
In attendance as well were representatives of regional bodies and law enforcement agencies including the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Pacific Islands Law Officers Network (PILON), Oceania Customs Organisation (OCO), Pacific Immigration Development Committee (PIDC), Joint Inter-Agency Task Force - West (JIATF-W), Pacific Transnational Crime Co-ordinating Centre, US Homeland Security and UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho led the Fijian delegation to the conference from Monday to Wednesday this week (August 13-15). With the theme “Security Challenges in an Online Pacific” discussions focused on four key areas including Pacific regionalism, understanding the Pacific online environment, necessary legislations and collective capacity building initiatives to address security challenges in an online Pacific.
Key presentations from key partner agencies in the region highlighted online challenges related to cybercrime and available capacity building mechanisms that can be pursued at multilateral and bilateral arrangements.
Brigadier-General Qiliho, while speaking on the Panel on Pacific Regionalism, highlighted initiatives pursued by the Fiji Police at sub-regional and regional levels on Police cooperation and particularly the need for strengthened police cooperation.
“We need to reduce our vulnerability and work more closely together and strengthen the Pacific’s ability to tackle our shared policing challenges,” he said. “The Fiji Police Force is happy to be playing its role in sharing the expertise of our officers or as hosts if it means bringing the training and capacity building opportunities offered by international law enforcement agencies closer to our doorsteps.
“The Fiji Police Force in essence has for years practised ‘Pacific Regionalism’ and has opened its doors to support Pacific Island countries in improving the policing capabilities of Pacific law enforcement agencies.
“The term Pacific Regionalism really is non-existent if we are to capture the true essence of our Pacific way of life.” Brigadier-General Qiliho encouraged Police chiefs to take into consideration sub-regional, regional and bilateral initiatives on police co-operation that are already in place.
“As Chiefs of Police we are mandated to keep our people and the vulnerable in society safe,” he said.
“We cannot allow political differences to dictate the way we do our business. “We must build on what we have collectively and focus on improving on the many forms of regional co-operation initiatives already in place if we are to effectively overcome the Security Challenges in an Online Pacific.”
The next PICP conference will be held in American Samoa in 2019. Brigadier-General Qiliho was accompanied by Fiji Police Director International Relations SSP Ulaiasi Ravula and Staff Officer IP Aisake Kafoa.