Pacific Regional and National Security Policy

Pacific island countries and communities today face an unprecedented set of security challenges, many of which will intensify over coming decades: climate change, geopolitics, a contested ocean, promoting human development and dealing with transnational crime. In response, the Pacific is drawing together to take collective action; developing innovative national security strategies, collaborating on security initiatives through an evolving regional architecture, and advocating for Pacific priorities on the global stage. The course will critically analyse some of the key challenges before the region, and the policy responses. Students will learn about the key regional organisations and security agreements, including the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the Boe Declaration on Regional Security and the Ocean of Peace Declaration. Students will learn how members of the Pacific Islands Forum are applying the regional frameworks in their national security policy-making, and the key elements in successful Pacific national security policy-making. A highlight of the course is a futures exercise, in which students will apply these learnings to chart the journey to 2050. The course is presented as a collaboration between the National Security College and the Pacific Security College, and consistent with NSC’s signature pedagogy, will be delivered by an academic convenor and policy practitioners, including a number of Pacific representatives. Students will finish the course with an excellent understanding of the Pacific security environment – and have developed their own recommendations on the next steps for governments and other stakeholders.