Pacific Leaders Seal Australian-Backed Regional Policing Pact

Despite misgivings by some countries as to how it will be perceived by Beijing, the Pacific Islands Forum has signed on to Australia’s Pacific Policing plan.

Australian police during a rally held at Sydney Town Hall on Sept. 8, 2007 in Sydney, Australia. Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting had endorsed a policing initiative that will create up to four regional training centres and establish a multinational crisis reaction force.

“It was a major objective that we had from this Pacific Island Forum meeting. This demonstrates how Pacific leaders are working together to shape the future that we wanted to see,” he said.