New Zealand Defence Minister to Attend South Pacific Defence Ministers' Meeting

Defence Minister Paul Goldsmith will travel to Fiji to attend the South Pacific Defence Ministers' Meeting, an annual dialogue focused on defence and security issues affecting the region. The meeting aims to advance military collaboration and interoperability among Pacific defence partners, with a priority on joint training and exercises to address complex and uncertain challenges. Minister Goldsmith will discuss pressing issues such as extreme weather events, natural disasters, and transnational crimes. He will hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from Australia, Chile, Fiji, France, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga, and officials from the United States, Japan, and the United Kingdom will attend as observers.