Today the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator David Feeney, met with the Samoan Prime Minister to discuss maritime cooperation and security.
Senator Feeney and the Prime Minister of Samoa, The Hon. Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi MP, discussed maritime cooperation between the two nations, in particular the Pacific Maritime Security Program (PMSP).
“The PMSP will build on the lessons learned from its predecessor program, the Pacific Patrol Boat Program, to strengthen the capabilities of individual nations to protect the sovereign resources of their Exclusive Economic Zones. It will also bring together regional capabilities to combat illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing and transnational crime and terrorism,” Senator Feeney said.
Following his meeting with Prime Minister Tuilaepa, Senator Feeney received a security briefing at the Headquarters of the Pacific Transnational Crime Network and met with the Samoan Police Commissioner, Suemaelo Lilomaiava Fou Taioalo. He also undertook a tour of the facilities at Samoa’s Police Maritime Wing.
“The maritime threats we face as a region do not fit neatly within the bureaucratic boundaries often placed on our agencies. That is why a multi-agency approach is essential to success. Samoa is one of the leaders in this regard, with cooperation between the Samoan police and the Australian Defence Force in the maritime domain,” he said.
Senator Feeney will next hold maritime security talks with Tuvalu. He previously visited New Caledonia and Tonga.