The South West Pacific Heads of Maritime Forces (SWPHMF) convened on Wednesday at the Leadership Centre, Masefield Naval Base, for a pivotal meeting focused on maritime security. This seventh annual meeting, hosted by Tonga for the second time, brought together navy leaders from 14 member nations under the theme “Pursuing maritime security through information sharing and closer coordination.”
Commander of Tonga Royal Navy, Taniela Tuita, emphasized the importance of collaboration in ensuring the safety of the Pacific Ocean. “This meeting is a chance for the heads of maritime forces to share knowledge, skills, and action plans to ensure the safety of the largest ocean in the world, the Pacific,” he said.
Key issues discussed included climate change, drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal fishing, and natural disasters. “They came to testify on challenges, including climate change, trafficking drugs, and trafficking in humans, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and natural disasters,” said CMDR Tuita.
Australia’s Chief of Navy, VADM Mark Hammond, highlighted the significance of maritime security for economic stability. “There is no economic security without maritime security for our nations,” he stated. New Zealand’s Acting Chief of Navy, CDRE Andrew Brown, stressed the need for effective information sharing to enhance decision-making processes in the vast South West Pacific region.
The meeting also addressed the impact of climate change on maritime security and the growing threat of illegal activities in the region. The dialogue provided an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and develop strategies to tackle these challenges collectively.
The next SWPHMF meeting is scheduled to be held in Fiji next year.
Source: PACNEWS
