The implications of COVID-19 for security in the Pacific Islands

Abstract

The geographic isolation of Pacific states and people has meant that the region has managed to avoid the direct consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. But the indirect consequences have nevertheless been significant. This article attempts to answer the question: what are the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for understanding security in the Pacific Islands? To do this it considers three key questions. First, what does the COVID-19 pandemic reveal about the nexus between security and development in the Pacific? Second, does the concept of resilience offer an effective way to frame the Pacific response to the pandemic? Third, is there an optimal balance between isolation and globalisation for enhancing security and development in the Pacific?. Show more