FRSC end of meeting statement
PRESS STATEMENT (35/09)
11th June 2009
FORUM REGIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE COMPLETES MEETING
The Pacific Islands Forum Regional Security Committee (FRSC) concluded its two-day meeting at the Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji on 5 June 2009 with a retreat session to consider broader security issues in the region.
The meeting discussed a wide range of issues including transnational crime, counter-terrorism, and human security. It supported the development of collaborative projects between Members, the Forum Secretariat and law enforcement stakeholders to tackle these issues. The Committee also supported the initiative by the Forum Secretariat to develop a Small Arms and Light Weapons project focusing upon the control of ammunition for consideration at next year’s FRSC meeting. This initiative will help to highlight how the Pacific is responding to concerns in the international community regarding global small arms and light weapons control.
The Committee endorsed the development of national and regional policies and programming assistance to strengthen security sector governance in the Pacific region. A relatively recent concept, security sector governance describes the framework through which parliament and accountability institutions, civil society, the media and the security sector, interact to ensure reform, transparency and continuous oversight.
The retreat session chaired by Niue focused on the way forward for the implementation of the Land Management and Conflict Minimisation (LMCM) guiding principles; the issue of sexual and gender-based violence; dialogue processes between officials and civil society organisations; a proposed initiative to research the interface between climate change, natural disasters and potential for conflict in the Pacific; an assessment of potential security challenges to the region; progress in the implementation of the broader security and governance priorities of the Pacific Plan; and the Secretariat’s activities under the Biketawa Declaration.
The Committee reaffirmed that sexual and gender-based violence is a growing serious concern in the Pacific region, which requires concerted national and regional responses to such violence directed at women, children and youth.
The Committee welcomed the adoption on 3 June 2009 of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution A/Res/63/281 entitled Climate change and its possible security implications which was an initiative of Pacific Small Island Developing States at the UN. The Committee also welcomed the initiative to research the interface between climate change, disasters and potential for conflict in the Pacific.
The retreat session also discussed the implementation of the Biketawa Declaration with reports on the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and Fiji. The Committee welcomed significant progress made in respect of the joint achievements of the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI since FRSC 2008. The Committee noted the Forum’s continuing efforts to encourage and support Fiji’s return to parliamentary democracy in accordance with the Biketawa Declaration.
The next Forum Regional Security Committee meeting will be held in June 2010.
ENDS
For more information, contact Mr Rick Nimmo, Director Political and Security Programme on phone 679 331 2600 or email rickn@forumsec.org.fj
11th June 2009
FORUM REGIONAL SECURITY COMMITTEE COMPLETES MEETING
The Pacific Islands Forum Regional Security Committee (FRSC) concluded its two-day meeting at the Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji on 5 June 2009 with a retreat session to consider broader security issues in the region.
The meeting discussed a wide range of issues including transnational crime, counter-terrorism, and human security. It supported the development of collaborative projects between Members, the Forum Secretariat and law enforcement stakeholders to tackle these issues. The Committee also supported the initiative by the Forum Secretariat to develop a Small Arms and Light Weapons project focusing upon the control of ammunition for consideration at next year’s FRSC meeting. This initiative will help to highlight how the Pacific is responding to concerns in the international community regarding global small arms and light weapons control.
The Committee endorsed the development of national and regional policies and programming assistance to strengthen security sector governance in the Pacific region. A relatively recent concept, security sector governance describes the framework through which parliament and accountability institutions, civil society, the media and the security sector, interact to ensure reform, transparency and continuous oversight.
The retreat session chaired by Niue focused on the way forward for the implementation of the Land Management and Conflict Minimisation (LMCM) guiding principles; the issue of sexual and gender-based violence; dialogue processes between officials and civil society organisations; a proposed initiative to research the interface between climate change, natural disasters and potential for conflict in the Pacific; an assessment of potential security challenges to the region; progress in the implementation of the broader security and governance priorities of the Pacific Plan; and the Secretariat’s activities under the Biketawa Declaration.
The Committee reaffirmed that sexual and gender-based violence is a growing serious concern in the Pacific region, which requires concerted national and regional responses to such violence directed at women, children and youth.
The Committee welcomed the adoption on 3 June 2009 of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution A/Res/63/281 entitled Climate change and its possible security implications which was an initiative of Pacific Small Island Developing States at the UN. The Committee also welcomed the initiative to research the interface between climate change, disasters and potential for conflict in the Pacific.
The retreat session also discussed the implementation of the Biketawa Declaration with reports on the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and Fiji. The Committee welcomed significant progress made in respect of the joint achievements of the Solomon Islands Government and RAMSI since FRSC 2008. The Committee noted the Forum’s continuing efforts to encourage and support Fiji’s return to parliamentary democracy in accordance with the Biketawa Declaration.
The next Forum Regional Security Committee meeting will be held in June 2010.
ENDS
For more information, contact Mr Rick Nimmo, Director Political and Security Programme on phone 679 331 2600 or email rickn@forumsec.org.fj
