Suva, Fiji – Earlier this week, the Hon. Tingika Elikana, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, participated in a high-level panel discussion on climate security at the Pacific National and Regional Security Conference (PNRSC).
The conference, convened by the Pacific Security College and held at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji, brought together political leaders, senior officials, law enforcement, civil society, and academics to shape a Pacific-led response to complex regional threats—from climate change and cybercrime to transnational drug trafficking and illegal fishing.
Minister Elikana joined fellow Pacific ministers, including the Hon. Professor Biman Prasad, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Fiji; the Hon. Dr. Maina Talia, Tuvalu’s Minister for Climate Change and Environment; and the Hon. Paula Piveni, Tonga’s Minister for Police, for a candid discussion focused on how the Pacific can continue to remain resilient, secure, peaceful, and prosperous as the impacts of climate change and disasters are expected to worsen.
During the discussion, Minister Elikana shared some of the innovative, climate-resilient measures taken within the Cook Islands to support climate-vulnerable communities and build infrastructure resilience over time. He noted that while Pacific nations are at the forefront of climate resilience innovations, the scale and frequency of climate change impacts—coupled with global economic shocks, health pandemics, global conflicts, and unequal development—have deepened vulnerabilities across the region. “We must scale up investment in climate security for the region and continue to call on development partners committed to the Pacific to meet their climate commitments,” Minister Elikana said.
His comments aligned with the panel’s broader consensus that tackling climate change as a security threat requires a multifaceted approach involving policy reform, enhanced regional collaboration, and equitable international support. The panel recognised that climate security is a shared concern that transcends borders and necessitates coordinated action.
The conference reaffirmed the region’s commitment to ensuring the regional security architecture delivers real, prevention-focused action that supports beneficial outcomes at the country and community levels.
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