Security Cooperation in the Pacific: Workshop Report

Abstract

In November 2021 an online workshop was held to better understand security cooperation between partner states; between PICs themselves, and with their citizens; and between partners, PICs and citizens. The goal of the workshop was to discuss papers that are intended to form the basis of chapters in an edited book about security cooperation in the Pacific Islands. Speakers came from a range of PICs, as well as their major partner states, including Australia, China, Fiji, Japan, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and the US. The PIF Secretariat also attended part of the workshop as an observer. Panels were organised around three key areas: regional security cooperation; the role of partner states in security cooperation; and security cooperation to address specific security challenges. This paper deals with each of these three areas before considering the question: ‘who is accountable to whom in the provision of security assistance?’