Fiji’s assertive role in shaping international cybercrime rules is placing the country at the centre of a growing geopolitical contest over digital influence in the Pacific, as major cyber powers move to strengthen partnerships across the region.

Minister for Policing and Communications Ioane Naivalurua told Parliament that Fiji is preparing to sign the new United Nations Convention against Cybercrime a treaty it helped negotiate over three years.

While no state has ratified the Convention yet, 73 have signed, and Fiji intends to do so soon.

Naivalurua says Fiji has evolved from being a participant in global cyber diplomacy to an emerging leader, with its early alignment to international frameworks drawing interest from global partners seeking deeper cyber cooperation in the Pacific.

Minister for Policing and Communications Ioane Naivalurua [Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/Facebook]

As cyber threats intensify worldwide, the Minister noted, the region has become a strategic focus for major powers including the EU, US, China, Australia, and others, which are expanding cybersecurity assistance and digital governance initiatives.

“Fiji’s strong leadership at the global, regional and national levels and our reputation as a responsible and forward-looking cyber partner continues to position us to drive our national and regional objectives.”

He says that Fiji now finds itself at a critical intersection of diplomacy, security, and geopolitics as it holds a seat on the nine-member Bureau of the Committee of the Parties to the Budapest Convention, the only Pacific nation represented, and is the first in the region to sign the Convention’s Second Additional Protocol.

Naivalurua says that these moves are significant as they amplify Fiji’s influence beyond its size and make it an increasingly attractive partner for international actors seeking stable cyber allies in the Pacific.

As competition for influence in the Pacific grows, Navalurua notes such cybersecurity support is no longer seen as purely technical but as a strategic investment in regional stability.

As Fiji finalizes its National Cybersecurity and Resilience Strategy, the country faces the challenge of balancing international cooperation with digital sovereignty ensuring it benefits from foreign expertise while maintaining control over its own cyber future.

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