Welcome Remarks by Deputy Secretary General Esala Nayasi at the Launch of the Pacific Regional Transnational Organised Crime (TNOC) Disruption Strategy
Wednesday 10 April 2024
• Commissioner McLennan of the Tonga Police, Chair of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Network.
• Members of the Pacific Law Enforcement Community
• Excellencies
• Senior Officials
• Distinguished guests,
• Colleagues and friends
• Transnational Organised Crime is a threat to regional security.
• For far too long, organised criminal groups have been able to remain ahead and out of reach of law enforcement in the region.
• Our region is under attack. Our people are under attack.
• In the past few years alone cybercriminals have attacked Government IT systems in Vanuatu and Marshall Islands, and millions of Australians lost personal information in attacks on Optus and Medibank Private.
• And a despicable criminal recently impersonated my successor, our Forum Chair no less, and managed to steal tens of thousands of dollars from a well-meaning citizen of my home country Cook Islands.
• IUU fishing costs Forum Members over 700 million Fijian dollars a year – income that could be spent on health, education, roads and ports.
• I was shocked to see more than four tonnes of methamphetamines was found in Fiji recently. And while I congratulate all the parties involved stopping those horrible, dangerous drugs from reaching our communities, it was a stark reminder of our vulnerability.
• It is a sad fact that everyday thousands of criminals go to work to steal the hard earned money of innocent people across the globe, including here in the Blue Pacific Continent.
• We cannot, and will not, let them win.
• Last year, Pacific Islands Forum Leaders launched the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
• In doing so, they painted a vision for a future in which all Pacific peoples benefit from safety, security and prosperity.
• To achieve this, we need a new approach.
• We need to work together.
• The Transnational Organised Crime Disruption Strategy was developed through a thorough consultation process with Members and our critical partners in regional and international agencies, many of whom are here tonight.
• It identifies priorities to reduce transnational crime and its impact in the region.
• I thank all Members for your valuable contribution in the development of this strategy.
• Let us all work together, in partnership, to deliver on our Leaders’ vision under the 2050 Strategy, for a safe, security and prosperous Blue Pacific Continent for us all.
• Let us continue to deepen our regional aspirations and collective strengths by working together to remove the scourge of transnational organised crime from our Islands.
• Vinaka Vakalevu.
