Associate Defence Minister Chris Penk will meet with his counterparts in Chile at the South Pacific Defence Ministers' Summit. Photo: PMN
Associate Defence Minister Chris Penk says New Zealand is looking to improve regional cooperation and address shared security challenges at this week's South Pacific Defence Ministers' Meeting (SPDMM) in Chile.
The annual gathering brings together defence ministers and senior officials from across the Pacific, including representatives from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Australia, and France, to discuss collective security, humanitarian assistance, and defence cooperation.
Now in its 12th year, the meeting also includes representatives from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and observers from the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan.
Speaking with William Terite on Pacific Mornings, Penk says he looks forward to the important discussions ahead.
"This is a really important forum for us and for the whole Pacific," he says. "With friends and partners across the area, we know that there are a lot of interesting engagements that we need to have with fellow ministers, but also senior officials. It's a crucial region for the world and for New Zealand, it's right on our back step."
Despite ongoing deployments and humanitarian efforts, Penk says New Zealand remains committed to its Pacific obligations.
He notes New Zealand's unique position, particularly as climate change and natural disasters become increasingly severe.
"We can't stand still, because the needs of the region are evolving. If you think about fisheries protection and some of the great natural resources in this part of the world that we're blessed with, we also have a responsibility in New Zealand to make sure that these are realised well and remain available for future generations.
"We know that increasingly, with threats of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the event of large-scale emergencies driven by increasingly intense climate change, there are many things that we need to consider from a defence and security point of view."
MP Chris Penk joins Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele at a memorial in August. Photo: Facebook
Regional response
Geopolitical competition in the Pacific is also expected to feature in the discussions.
"We are more mindful of the fact that it is such an attractive part of the world and there is such great opportunity, not only for those who are in the South Pacific, but also those from further afield," Penk says. "It's important that we stay close to our Pacific neighbours and friends by discussing these issues and making sure we're all on the same page."
New Zealand hosted the last SPDMM 12 months ago, with PIF Secretary-General Baron Waqa attending as a guest for the first time.
Defence Minister Judith Collins says the meetings provide valuable dialogue and she emphasises that they provide important dialogue, highlighting shared regional priorities.
"Looking to the future allows us to set our defence and security goals to ensure we are ready to meet the challenges our region will face from increasing strategic competition and climate events," she says in a statement.
"New Zealand is an active defence partner with a long history in the South Pacific. We have a strong relationship with South Pacific partners in areas including disaster relief support, leadership training, technical training and regular talks on regional defence matters in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment."
Penk says the focus of the Chile talks will be on building relationships and aligning future defence priorities.
"A certain amount of it is just relationship building, we like to make connections, and we know that will stand us in good stead in peacetime and when things are more challenging," he says. "It's also an important time for us to think very carefully about what our future naval fleet will look like. For the Pacific, being a large expanse of water, by definition, it's a peaceful ocean, and we hope to continue it that way."
The 9th South Pacific Defence Ministers Meeting concluded in Auckland yesterday. Photo: NZDF
Penk says the Government has progressed its Defence Capability Plan, which aims to increase investment in national and regional security.
"There's always competition for hard-earned taxpayer dollars, but I think there's an increasing awareness among Kiwis that we need to take this kind of spending seriously for national security and for those regional priorities, too."
He adds that discussions in Chile will help inform decisions about the replacement of New Zealand's naval vessels, many of which are due to retire by the mid-2030s.
