Strengthening Arms Control in the Pacific: UNRCPD Advances Collaboration with the Government of Fiji
Fiji is leading by example in the Pacific, translating its political commitments on small arms control into concrete national actions.
From 19 to 23 May 2025, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD) travelled to Suva, Fiji. UNRCPD, in partnership with the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA) of Fiji and with support from the European Union, conducted a national training and assessment mission in Suva to support the implementation of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PoA) and its International Tracing Instrument (ITI). The UNRCPD team was joined by experts from the Mines Advisory Group (MAG)—including the Regional Director for Asia-Pacific and the Technical Field Manager based in Sri Lanka—who provided specialized technical expertise.
The three-day training brought together 23 representatives from key national agencies, including MoDVA, the Police Force, Customs, the Royal Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), the Office of the Attorney-General, UNRCPD and MAG experts. The activity focused on building practical knowledge and institutional capacity to strengthen SALW control measures, with a particular emphasis on the use of the Modular Small-arms-control Implementation Compendium (MOSAIC) self-assessment tool.
The training addressed priority issues identified by the Government of Fiji to enhance its national SALW control system—not only at the policy and regulatory level, but also at the operational level, where capacity-building support is needed. A practical exercise using the MOSAIC software enabled participants to design and conduct a baseline assessment, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive review of national Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and informing future policy and programmes development.
(Photo 1) MAG expert Mr. John Turnbull, Technical Field Manager, delivering a presentation on the challenges posed by emerging technologies in SALW manufacturing and their implications for illicit trafficking in the Region.
(Photo 2-3) Through thematic presentations, practical exercises, and group discussions, UNRCPD and MAG engaged with national security and defense forces to review Fiji’s SALW control system and identify areas for improvement to support effective implementation of the PoA and ITI.
Subsequent consultations held at the Mobile Police Force and the headquarters of the RFMF provided additional insights for targeted assistance and valuable feedback from security and defence forces on the practical implementation of the PoA/ITI and the use of the MOSAIC methodology.
(Photo 4-7) Follow-up consultations with the Mobile Police Force and the RFMF headquarters provided concrete inputs for future assistance and highlighted firsthand perspectives on applying the PoA/ITI and the MOSAIC methodology in practice. The consultations benefited from the expertise of the MAG’s Regional Director for Asia-Pacific, Mr. Llewelyn Jones, and Technical Field Manager, Mr. John Turnbull.
UNRCPD remains committed to promoting a “One UN” approach and fostering strong partnerships with regional organizations to deliver more inclusive, coordinated, and impactful assistance across the Pacific. To this extent, UNRCPD held a series of meetings with key stakeholders. The meeting with the UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Dirk Wagener—who serves Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu—underscored the importance of aligning SALW control initiatives with the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and highlighted the critical nexus between security and development. Engagement with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)’s team in Fiji further highlighted synergies with ongoing efforts to support law enforcement, particularly in areas such as anti-corruption, maritime security, and cybercrime. Both entities recognized opportunities for collaboration in addressing persistent data collection gaps relevant to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 16.4.2, which monitors the proportion of seized, found, or surrendered arms whose illicit origin or context has been traced and reported—an essential component of national reporting under the PoA.
(Photo 8) Mr. Aaron Junhoung Yoo, Deputy Director and Ms. Ida Scarpino, Political Affairs Officer at UNRCPD meeting with the UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Dirk Wagener and his team.
A strategic meeting with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) underscored the potential for enhanced regional cooperation on arms control, disarmament, and non-proliferation in the Pacific, while reaffirming the important role of regional organizations and the value of their cooperation with the United Nations. UNRCPD and PIF explored opportunities for alignment with the Boe Declaration and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, drawing on successful examples of regional coordination from other parts of the world. The discussion also focused on leveraging synergies with Pacific priorities—particularly the links between climate change and its implications for security and stability.
Through courtesy visits and coordination meetings with the European Union Delegation to the Pacific and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNRCPD explored ways to garner additional diplomatic and institutional support. UNRCPD and its implementing partner, the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), also discussed follow-up steps to consolidate the outcomes of the mission and ensure sustained engagement in support of Fiji’s arms control priorities.
(Photo 9) Mr. Aaron Junhoung Yoo, UNRCPD Deputy Director, and Hon. Ms. Lenora S. Qereqeretabua, Assistant Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This mission to Fiji marks a turning point. The collaboration with MoDVA—already a leader in arms control across the Pacific—was deepened, and a path was set to translate Fiji’s political commitments under the UN PoA, the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), and the Global Framework on Ammunition into concrete national action.
These activities have been conducted as part of UNODA’s global project, funded by the European Union (EU Council Decision 2022/65), [1] in support of the full and effective implementation of the UN Programme of Action on SALW and its International Tracing Instruments.
For further information, please contact unrcpd-info@un.org.
[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec/2022/1965/oj