NZ signs military co-operation deal with Fiji
Defence Minister Peeni Henare has signed a military co-operation agreement with Fiji aimed at bolstering the Pacific island nation’s maritime security and improving disaster response.
Henare travelled to Fiji on Monday to meet the country’s Defence Minister, Inia Seruiratu, and possibly Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, before travelling to Australia to meet Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton.
The ‘‘statement of intent’’ signed yesterday would have New Zealand’s armed forces help Fiji develop a maritime security strategy, improve disaster response and collaborate in training soldiers.
Henare, in an interview, said the capability of both New Zealand and Fiji’s militaries had suffered because of the Covid-19 pandemic. For the past two years, New Zealand soldiers were tasked with guarding managed isolation facilities for ‘‘Operation Protect’’, instead of maintaining usual training schedules and deployments.
‘‘I’ve always been clear that, because of bloody Op Protect, we’ve got to regenerate our workforce, and they’ve come through something similar where their people haven’t been able to be deployed because of Covid-19,’’ Henare said. ‘‘They’re really keen for us to do our planning and exercises together to regenerate throughout the whole ranks, not just our junior ranks.’’
Fiji was in the early stages of developing a maritime security plan and wanted to expand the country’s navy, he said. The Government may in future provide financial support to Fiji’s military for its maritime security.
‘‘As we look towards what that might look like, financially, that’s why we’ve got to support them to develop their plans, they’re not quite clear on what that means for them just yet.
‘‘That’ll be my job to look towards how we might support financially, but we certainly don’t have a figure in mind, or we’re not pre-empting that.’’
Henare visited the Blackrock Camp on Monday, a military base that had been redeveloped by Australia and Fiji for the purposes of training in humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping. New Zealand would be providing training to Fiji’s military leaders at the facility.