Pacific nations need to work more closely to tackle security threats that increasingly cross national borders, Commander Joint Task Force Command Brigadier General Manoa Gadai has told regional defence leaders in Nadi.

Brig Gen Gadai made the comments at Blackrock Camp during a Guard of Honour held for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Tonga and delegates attending the 2026 South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM).

For Pacific communities, he said, regional security could not be addressed by countries working in isolation.

The SPDMM provides an opportunity for defence partners to improve coordination, interoperability and relationships while preparing for challenges that affect the wider region.

Brig Gen Gadai said Fiji’s security approach was based on cooperation rather than competition, preparedness rather than simply responding to incidents, and partnerships built around mutual respect and shared interests.

He identified climate change, terrorism and illicit drugs among the major security concerns confronting Pacific countries.

The issue of illicit drugs was highlighted through the work of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces’ Joint Counter Narcotics Task Force (JCNTF), which has been operating with the Fiji Police Force in the Western Division since 2024.

According to Brig Gen Gadai, operations in areas including Nadi and Lautoka have led to the seizure of illicit drugs and money believed to be linked to drug trafficking.

He said the latest operation, conducted the previous week, resulted in the seizure of about FJ$33,000 in cash along with methamphetamine.

The operations, he said, demonstrated why drug trafficking should be viewed beyond traditional law-enforcement concerns, with implications for broader human security.

Brig Gen Gadai said stronger intelligence-sharing, maritime surveillance, border cooperation and coordinated enforcement would be important in confronting the threat.

“Our joint counter-narcotics operations with the Police continue to this day,” he said.

He also stressed that stronger regional cooperation should complement national sovereignty while ensuring that the priorities and concerns of Pacific communities remain central.

“Those threats do not recognise borders. Therefore, neither should our cooperation,” Brig Gen Gadai said.

The RFMF, he added, would continue working to maintain readiness, develop its capabilities and strengthen regional partnerships as Fiji and its Pacific neighbours prepare for evolving security challenges.