Read on Twitter
As I argued at Pacific geopolitics workshop hosted last year by @JoanneEWallis, there is a 'Khaki tinge' to Australia's foreign policy step up in the Pacific islands. Here's a thread explaining how Australia's beefing up security in the #BluePacific https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/dfat-cuts-show-our-foreign-policy-s-khaki-tinge-20200719-p55dco
In 2019 a new Australia-Pacific Security College was established in Canberra, to train a regional network of security officials and help Pacific island states ‘develop and implement’ national security strategies. 1/ https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/anu-to-run-new-pacific-security-college/news-story/1bf5b4f8d49a128828450dda4e0e3bd0
Australia also established a Pacific Fusion Centre, a new institution (initially based in Canberra) which collates information from various agencies to improve 'maritime domain awareness' and provide curated security advice for Pacific officials. 2/ https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-pacific-security/australia-to-launch-new-pacific-security-center-from-next-year-idUSKCN1LL10D
A new Pacific Faculty was established at the Australian Institute for Police Management. 3/ https://www.aipm.gov.au/pacific-faculty-policing-opening
With New Zealand, Australia is funding a new Pacific Cyber Security Operational Network. 4/ https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1811/S00177/australia-and-nz-announce-joint-pacific-cyber-cooperation.htm
A new, annual, Joint Heads of Pacific Security Forces meeting has been established. 5/ https://asiapacificdefencereporter.com/australia-welcomes-pacific-security-leaders/
A new naval base has been announced for Manus Island in Papua New Guinea (analysis here from @Rory_Medcalf) 6/ https://www.afr.com/opinion/2018-apec-summit-possible-turning-point-for-chinas-powerplay-in-the-pacific-20181118-h180y2
Australia has funded joint development of a regional military base in Fiji (Blackrock). 7/ https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/australia-outbids-china-fund-fiji-military-base
Australia has announced a new rotational Australian Defence Force mobile training force for the Pacific – based in Brisbane 8/ https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/australia-sets-up-force-for-pacific-neighbours/news-story/e873c7605543f18ba653c990249edcbc
There has been an increase in security spending in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji. Here @MaclellanNic explains the "massive increase" in Australia’s Defence Cooperation Program (DCP) funding for the wider South Pacific region. 9/ https://islandsbusiness.com/breaking-news/item/2183-forum-to-consider-biketawa-plus-security-declaration.html
Australia announced a new ‘large naval ship’ that will operate semi-permanently in the South Pacific. 10/ https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/christopher-pyne-promises-new-ship-in-pivot-to-the-south-pacific-20181108-p50es8.html
Australia also announced new 24/7 radar surveillance of the southwest Pacific. "An array [that] will be able to sweep around from PNG to cover Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, probably reaching out as far as Fiji." 11/ https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/jindalee-extension-will-put-a-constant-australian-eye-on-melanesia/
For their part, Pacific island leaders issued a regional security declaration in 2018, indicating climate change is the 'single greatest threat' to the region. Unfortunately Australia has been less pro-active addressing that threat. 12/ https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/climate-change-frontlines
Australia's Pacific step up clearly driven by security concerns (especially regarding a more assertive China). Yet Pacific island countries continue to look for more action around their security priorities. More analysis here from me here... /Ends https://www.jstor.org/stable/26908767?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
