Defence chiefs unite to tackle disasters and security amid geopolitical tensions

The 2024 South Pacific Defence Ministers' Meeting (SPDMM) in Auckland concluded with landmark decisions aimed at fostering stronger regional collaboration in the face of growing security challenges.

Among the most significant outcomes was the establishment of the Pacific Response Group (PRG), a dedicated regional force designed to enhance disaster response and defence interoperability across the Pacific.

One of the defining achievements of this year’s SPDMM was the creation of the PRG, which will serve as a crucial regional asset for coordinating humanitarian disaster responses and improving military cooperation.

“What this will now see established is a small, advanced coordinating unit that will be based in Brisbane, which will at this point comprise all the representatives of the South Pacific Defence Ministers' meeting with Chile as an observer,” Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Richard Marles, explained.

Deputy Prime Minister & Defence Minister Richard Marles (left) & Defence Undersecretary of Chile Ricardo Allende (right). Photo/Susnation Seta

“This team will be able to ensure that if there is a contingency, and we're really thinking about natural disasters, they'll be able to be there immediately, work out what units or other support has to be provided by the various militaries of the region, how that can be most efficiently done, and then see those follow-on units come into place as quickly as possible.”

In addition to disaster preparedness, maritime security and transnational crime were top priorities at this year’s meeting.

Officials highlighted the growing challenges posed by illegal fishing and drug trafficking in the Pacific’s vast exclusive economic zones (EEZs).

SPDMM members emphasised enhancing maritime domain awareness and increasing ship-riding cooperation between Pacific nations.

Emerging technologies, including better surveillance tools, will be key to improving regional maritime situational awareness.

By improving intelligence-sharing networks and leveraging existing partnerships, the region aims to tackle these growing threats head-on.

“We definitely spoke about transnational organised crime and it's been a significant feature of the Pacific for a long time, but it is something which is becoming more acute,” Marles said.

“I think in terms of the Pacific response group specifically, it is really conceived in terms of responding to particular contingencies,”

“But we spoke a lot about maritime domain awareness, about ways in which we can progress ship riding agreements, which exist between a number of nations within the Pacific.

“In that sense, it’ll build a network of both awareness and enforcement, which allows us to have a greater sense of what's going on in terms of transnational organised crime and how we can respond to it.

“There is definitely a role for the militaries of the Pacific to be able to assist in combating it.”

A key geopolitical issue discussed at the meeting was China’s recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test in the Pacific, the first in 44 years.

Pacific leaders were unified in their condemnation of the missile test, viewing it as a destabilising force in a region committed to peace.

Baron Waqa, Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), expressed deep concern over the missile test, noting its impact on the region’s aspirations for peace.

"It’s disappointing that this happened. China has many friends in the Pacific, and it’s quite concerning if these sorts of missile tests are conducted in our region while we’re trying to create a peaceful zone."

NZ Defence Minister Judith Collins agrees.

“It is unwanted, unnecessary, and unhelpful that China launched an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Pacific."​

NZ Defence Minister Judith Collins. Photo/Susnation Seta

This year’s SPDMM marked a new level of cooperation with the PIF, particularly with the attendance of Waqa.

This development highlights the importance of aligning SPDMM priorities with the broader goals of the PIF’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

Waqa emphasised the significance of this collaboration, noting that the defence ministers' engagement with the PIF reflects a more united front for the region's security and prosperity.

"It’s crucial for us to work closely with the Pacific Islands Forum to ensure we enhance regional priorities and build resilience across the Pacific,” Waqa said.

Marles underscored the importance of co-operation between SPDMM and the PIF.

“I very much hope that that will now be what happens as we go into the future.

“The South Pacific Defence Ministers' Meeting is not a particularly old construct. It's perhaps the way to answer this. This is our ninth meeting.

“We've been around for about a decade. It is a time to kind of look at who we are and what our role is and where we fit. We are clearly in the Pacific family.

“And it goes back to the question, do our decisions require some form of PIF endorsement? They don't, but it matters that the PIF has visibility of what we do.”

France’s continued involvement in the SPDMM, represented by its ambassador to New Zealand, Laurence Beau, was another key aspect of the meeting.

Beau reiterated France's support for maritime security and collaboration through the PRG, while emphasising the role of regional exercises in maintaining security.

French Ambassador to NZ Laurence Beau. Photo/Susnation Seta

She told PMN News, "we’ve had fantastic discussions on issues like ship-riding, the PRG, and enhancing regional exercises like LONGREACH. This collaboration is essential for the security of the Pacific."​

The members also endorsed updates to the POVAI ENDEAVOUR Framework and welcomed the use of Regional Exercise LONGREACH 2024 in Brisbane to validate the PRG’s detailed concept.

Joint exercises such as these will play a crucial role in enhancing the interoperability of Pacific defence forces, allowing them to work together more effectively during future crises.

Looking ahead, the 10th SPDMM will be hosted by Chile in 2025, further underscoring the growing importance of collaboration across the Pacific.

Defence Undersecretary of Chile, Ricardo Allende, said “it’s going to be a huge challenge for us to organise this next year. It's going to be our first time… We’re really happy to work together from this side of the Pacific.”

Defense Undersecretary of Chile Ricardo Allende. Photo/Susnation Seta