Heads of police, military, customs and immigration, as well as representatives from other security agencies, from across the Pacific region convened in Brisbane, Australia for the eighth annual Joint Heads of Pacific Security (JHoPS) meeting from 28 - 30 April 2026. They were joined by observers from Japan and the United States, along with representatives from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), the Oceania Customs Organisation (OCO), the Pacific Fusion Centre (PFC), the Pacific Immigration Development Community (PIDC), the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Secretariat (PICPS), the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and the Pacific Security College (PSC).
The meeting was co-hosted by the Chief of the Defence Force, Australian Defence Force, Admiral David Johnston AO RAN; Commissioner of the Australian Border Force, Commissioner Gavan Reynolds AO; and Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, Commissioner Krissy Barrett APM. Delegates were welcomed by Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans' Affairs and Northern Australia, Mr Luke Gosling OAM MP. Samoa's Minister for Customs, Honourable Masinalupe Leatuvao Makesi Pisi, opened the meeting.
This year's theme focused on 'enabling collective action'. To frame discussions, Deputy Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Secretariat Mr Esala Nayasi articulated the clear tasking from PIF Leaders to develop practical operational initiatives to address regional security challenges. Mr Viliame Bovoro, Director of the PFC, briefed participants on the security challenges and trends across the region.
Discussions focused on security as a shared responsibility that needed to be Pacific-led and people-centred. Participants identified the importance of working across sectors and across the region to strengthen regional coordination of operational activities, in ways that would reinforce national sovereignty. They recognised the value of existing mechanisms and identified the need to enhance our cooperation through intelligence and information sharing, as well as by sharing lessons learned. Participants acknowledged the need to better understand, build and harness the capabilities each member possessed, and the need for common approaches that built interoperability and thereby enhanced collective action. Members noted that strong governance should underpin regional cooperation. They emphasised the need to mainstream Women, Peace and Security into existing national and regional policies, cross-sectoral cooperation as a force multiplier; and the influential role of leadership in mentoring and role modelling.
JHoPS Principals undertook guided tours of Gallipoli Barracks and Pinkenba Hub and received briefings on two Pacific-led deployable capabilities: the Pacific Response Group (PRG) and the Pacific Police Support Group (PPSG). Meanwhile, Advisers participated in tabletop exercises, one covering a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) scenario and another focused on responses to transnational organised crime (TNOC). Advisers in the TNOC exercise reflected on the need for a broader framework of guidelines to addressing multi-regional TNOC initiatives, including leveraging existing frameworks such as the Niue Treaty Subsidiary Agreement (NTSA). Advisers in the HADR exercise highlighted the need for a comprehensive framework to facilitate regional support through coordinated mechanisms that supported collaborative responses before, during and after a crisis, in ways that preserve sovereignty. Advisers also noted the value of sharing reflections after a disaster response operation to identify strengths and lessons learned, and to build on opportunities for improvements to shape future responses.
In line with the Leaders' call at the 2025 PIF Leaders' Meeting for a coordinated regional response to addressing transnational organised crime (particularly illegal drug movements), members talked about the importance of developing an intelligence-led regional mechanism to address drug trafficking.
Members agreed to seek Leaders' consideration for JHoPS to become a part of PIF regional architecture.
Regional Operations Deployment Framework
Members noted the progress made by the JHoPS community in consulting the Regional Operations Deployment Framework (the Framework). Members recommended that PIF Leaders agree to commence negotiations on a Regional Operations Deployment Framework Treaty, and for the Forum Officials Sub-Committee on Regional Security to provide advice to Leaders and Foreign Ministers via the Forum Officials Committee. Members agreed to socialise the Framework with their respective Ministers to enhance their understanding and build support. Members agreed that sovereignty would be safeguarded by the key principal that deployments would only be triggered by a formal request for assistance by a member and that a flexible and responsive mechanism would enable an efficient and effective regional response at a time of need. This discussion built on the previous work by JHoPS members, including endorsement of the 'drafting instructions' for the Framework at JHoPS 2025.
The Framework would close a gap in existing regional architecture by contributing to the flexible and responsive regional security mechanism that PIF Leaders called for in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the flexible and responsive architecture that enables peace called for in the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration, and would build on the strategic guidance set under the 2000 Biketawa Declaration and the 2018 Boe Declaration on Regional Security.
Forward Work Plan
Sectoral group discussions emphasised overcoming barriers to collective action. Illicit drug disruption was a common theme and a key focus. Members tasked the JHoPS Secretariat to explore an intelligence and information sharing framework as an element of the JHoPS Forward Work Plan (FWP), while recognising the utility of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP), Pacific Transnational Crime Network (PTCN), the Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Centre (PTCCC), and the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) Regional Centres of Excellence. Members also agreed to explore establishing a robust method of reflecting on lessons learned, linking with national disaster management organisation (NDMOs) on disaster responses and the application of a future Regional Operations Deployment Framework, better identifying existing collaboration mechanisms, undertaking a capability gap analysis, enhancing interoperability of systems and examining the utility of a regional security coordination centre.
Members thanked Australia for hosting JHoPS 2026. Cook Islands has offered to host the next JHoPS meeting in 2027.
Established in 2019, JHoPS convenes senior operational leaders from across the Pacific, creating a unique platform to advance security outcomes and strengthen practical cooperation among Pacific agencies and security forces in support of Pacific-led responses to regional security issues. The JHoPS meeting reflects a shared commitment to a Pacific that is open, inclusive and grounded in agreed rules and norms. It also offers a valuable forum to draw on collective security expertise and to exchange resources and knowledge among Pacific partners.
