PS POLICING MR.BERENADO DAVETA'S STATEMENT AT THE TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROJECT FOR IMPROVING CYBERSECURITY CAPABILITY IN THE PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES SIGNING CEREMONY

Good morning everyone
Ohayo gozaimasu.

I wish to extend my warm and heartfelt gratitude to the:
Resident Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, Mr. Satoshi Wakasugi,
The JICA staff serving the Pacific region from its Fiji Office;
Stakeholders from the University of the South Pacific,
Members of the media; and
Ladies and gentlemen.
 
Digitalisation is driving developments globally and continues to shape the way we interact, interpret and consume information.

It has also brought various forms of innovative measures that have made life easier and convenient. In Fiji and the Pacific, the digital space has shifted the way people think and engage with each other. It has opened up new possibilities and created opportunities where there were previously none.
 
However, with the good also enters the bad. Incidences of cyber-attacks in Fiji and the region is on the increase in past few years, particularly against national infrastructures.
 
The Supreme Court and national courts of Papua New Guinea were hit by multiple cyberattacks in 2019.
 
Again, in 2021, Papua New Guinea's government payment system was hit by ransomware.
 
Fiji' also experienced a GovNet cyber-attack as well as the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat a few years ago.
 
Palau faced an incident involving a fraudulent entity posing as a bank licensing authority.
 
Vanuatu's government systems, including its police management system, were disabled by a series of cyberattacks.
 
Marshall Islands Telecommunications Authority suffered a DDoS attack.
 
In 2023, Tonga Communications Corporation was also reported to experienced a ransomware attack.

Today, in this occasion, the Agreement between the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Ministry of Policing of the Republic of Fiji of the Record of Discussions on the Project For Improving Cyber Security Capability in the Pacific Island Countries, will be signed.
 
The overall goal of the agreement is to enhance Cyber security capabilities of the Pacific Island Countries. It is to strengthen the cyber security capabilities of the Critical Information Infrastructure operators and government stakeholders in Fiji and Pacific countries in the region.
 
The signing of the agreement today is indeed a momentous occasion for the Republic of Fiji and the Government of Japan. It strengthens the already deepened bilateral ties our governments share.
 
On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Fiji on this occasion, I extend our sincerest gratitude to the Government of Japan through our partner from JICA for this critical and timely initiative. On behalf of the Ministry of Policing, I also thank stakeholders and local partners who are present today.

We look forward to enhancing our cooperation in this essential domain, now and into the future. 
 
Thank you very much, again. 
 
Arigato gozaimasu