Fiji is committed to strengthening its national security within the region.
Permanent Secretary for Defence, Mr. Jale Walker Fotofili made these comments during a seminar on Fiji Ports Security underway at the Nasova Police Academy in Suva.
He said the challenges of the future was not only terrorism in its context but those of transnational criminal activities of non-state actors which thrives considerably in the Pacific given its geographical location.
“Fiji recognizes that transnational crime will be a defining issue in the 21st century for policymakers,” Mr Fotofili said.
“Terrorists are known to have direct links with criminal groups which will proliferate because they are major beneficiaries of globalization.
“They take advantage of increased travel, trade, rapid money movements, telecommunications and computer links, and are well positioned for growth.”
Mr Fotofili said the assistance by the United States of America in the five-day training including logistical aspects of the course was timely because Fiji was still grappling with the challenges to its national security in terms of gaps to infrastructure, systems and legislations.
On behalf of the Fiji Government he acknowledged the USA for its enormous contribution in financing the training and the indepth knowledge that trainers were going to impart to course participants.
Forty personnel from FRICA, Police. Ports, Immigration Department and Biosecurity officers took part in the course.
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