This article is by Jim Sanday who led the recently completed National Security and Defence Review. He is a former public servant with the Australian Department of Defence and previously served as a commissioned officer in the pre-coup Royal Fiji Military Forces.
THE international security environment is undergoing profound transformation. As highlighted in a recent paper by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute the world has entered a new era marked by rising geopolitical confrontation, military conflict, technological disruption, and strategic uncertainty.
For a small island state like Fiji, these global dynamics are not distant concerns—they are present and pressing issues that shape Fiji’s national security environment and demand urgent and deliberate responses from the Fiji Government as well as other governments in the region.
The facts are clear. Since 2022, the world has witnessed a series of destabilising events: Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, the formalisation of the China–Russia “no limits” partnership, North Korean involvement in foreign theatres (Ukraine), intensifying tensions in the South China Sea, and escalating violence in the Middle East following the October 2023 Hamas attacks.
Each of these developments points to a global system under strain. The indications are that the traditional rules-based international order is eroding. For Fiji, which has long relied on multilateralism, peacekeeping diplomacy, and regional solidarity, this represents a direct threat to the international stability that underpins our own security.
Moreover, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the return of Donald Trump to the White House have added new layers of complexity. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers both opportunities and threats— transforming economies, labour markets, and military capabilities.
The threats include the malicious use of AI to destroy the credibility of elected representatives in a bid to undermine trust in our system of governance. We have seen this happening in Fiji already.
The ‘Trump factor’ breeds uncertainties around the reliability of United States (U.S) commitment to the rules-based order that has underwritten global stability since the end of World War 2. The Trump factor has also sown doubts over the reliability of U.S commitment to global alliances and other security guarantees, especially in the Indo-Pacific region, and the Southwest Pacific especially.
In this context, Fiji must recalibrate its national security strategy. What to do?
Redefining strategic autonomy
Strategic autonomy means Fiji making its own decisions about national security and development, without being too dependent on bigger countries. It means building up our own strength—through local skills, partnerships in the Pacific, and smart use of our resources—so that we can protect our people, economy, and environment in our own way, even in uncertain global times.
Basically, it means being resilient to the turmoil taking place beyond our borders. As a first step towards this end, the recently completed National Security and Defence Review urged Fiji to look within itself and update its governance and legislative framework regarding national security.
For example, the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) still relies on the RFMF Act 1949. The 1949 Act gave authority for the application of the British Army Act 1955 and the Queens Regulations for the Army in the administration of military discipline.
I recall as a young soldier that when we turned up for parade on a Monday morning with boots that were insufficiently spit-polished to the extent that we could not use it as a mirror for shaving – as demanded by the parade Sergeant Major – we were charged under Section 69 of the Army Act 1955 for Conduct to the Prejudice of Good Order and Military Discipline! Seven days cleaning toilets with a toothbrush was the penalty we all dreaded. But it kept us in line.
The Fiji Police too face a similar problem. The Fiji Police Act 1965 cannot adequately address the current law and order challenges facing modern Fiji – illicit drugs was not an issue in 1965.
Prioritising maritime and cyber defence
Increasing strategic competition in the South China Sea and Pacific waters requires Fiji to invest in maritime domain awareness, (MDA) port infrastructure, and cyber-defence capabilities to protect sovereignty, deter illicit activity in our maritime spaces and ensure secure connectivity. Fiji cannot do this alone.
The National Security and Defence Review noted that international partnerships provide a vital source of capital investment in Fiji’s maritime capabilities. The Review called for a Maritime Capability Master Plan to mitigate supply-driven risks and strengthen Fiji’s capacity to uphold its sovereignty.
The Review also noted with concern the Government’s fragmented approach to cybersecurity and intelligence and thus argued for strengthened partnership across agencies and with the private sector, including local IT companies and the private security industry.
Deepening Pacific solidarity
With global institutions under pressure, the Pacific Islands Forum must emerge as a centre of regional cooperation. It was in this context that a Centre of Excellence in National Security and Defence Studies was proposed for establishment at the Fiji National University (FNU).
Integrating AI into national security planning
The advent of AI demands new framework for security planning, ethical oversight, and workforce adaptation. Fiji must ensure that the adoption of these technologies is driven by public interest, privacy safeguards, and national resilience.
Upholding multilateralism and norm-based diplomacy
In the face of global disorder, Fiji should put increased emphasis on its role as a champion of international law, peacekeeping, and human rights. These are not just values—they are strategic tools that protect Fiji’s reputation, attract partnerships, and secure external support.
Protecting economic and diaspora linkages
As international conflict disrupts global trade and migration flows, Fiji’s dependence on remittances, tourism, and global markets is a source of significant vulnerability. A diversified economic base and a clear diaspora engagement policy should now be core pillars of Fiji’s national security.
Security in a world without guarantees
All these issues confirm that the era of guaranteed peace and predictability is over. For Fiji, the imperative is clear: it must design a national security strategy that is future-facing, inclusive, and grounded in the real-world conditions of a volatile international system.
Our security agencies must be trained and equipped to protect our national interests both within and beyond our national borders. Fiji’s response must be nimble, values-based, and regionally grounded—ensuring that Fiji is not merely reacting to global change but actively shaping its security destiny in an era of rising uncertainty.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of USP Journalism or this training news website.
