Overview:
Palau strengthens security preparations ahead of 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting
The Ministry of Justice, in partnership with regional and international law enforcement and security agencies, has conducted specialized training and table-top exercises to strengthen Palau’s security readiness for the upcoming 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting. The exercises focused on coordination, response planning, and ensuring a safe and successful gathering of Pacific leaders in Koror.
By: Laurel Marewibuel
KOROR, Palau — The Ministry of Justice, together with regional and international law enforcement and security partners, led training and table-top exercises to refine Palau’s security plan for the upcoming 55th Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting.
Participants included representatives from the Australian Federal Police through the Pacific Police Initiative and Pacific Police Support Group; the Arizona Department of Public Safety; the U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and the U.S. Army via the U.S. Embassy in Koror.
Local agencies that took part were the Palau Bureau of Public Safety, the Office of Professional Standards (Ministry of Justice), the Bureaus of Customs and Immigration, Transportation, and Public Works; the Division of Quarantine; the Palau National Aviation Administration; the National Emergency Management Office; and the Palau National Communications Corporation.
The sessions combined practical training with scenario-based table-top exercises designed to test coordination, communications and operational plans ahead of the forum, which Palau will host later this year.
Organizers credited the broad partnership for strengthening readiness. “ShoutOut to all our regional and international partners for the critical assistance and support in ensuring our readiness for the upcoming PIF. We got this! 💪 That is OUR collective commitment!” the ministry said.
The Ministry of Justice listed other stakeholders engaged in the preparedness effort, including the Office of the President, the Senate (Olbiil Era Kelulau), the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police, the KSG Department of Conservation & Law Enforcement, local media outlets such as Tia Belau Newspaper, Island Times and Palau Wave Radio/Television, the Australian Embassy in Palau, the Palau National Congress House of Delegates, Koror State Government and the U.S. Embassy in Koror.
Officials said the combined exercises aim to ensure that security, public-safety and communications systems are synchronized across agencies and partners before leaders arrive. The inclusion of public-safety, customs, health quarantine, aviation and emergency management agencies reflects a whole-of-government approach to event security.
