18TH to 22nd March, 2024
O lea ua mautu la tatou faasifoga i le tatou Atua, aua ua lē sopo le taili i le fisaga. Ua malu maunu tiaseu ina ua tafesilafa’i le ao, ma faailo le malama mai lagī, le aso ua matalupe.
O se taeao taua lenei, aua o lea ua poto Sui sooupu o le faasoa lelei o faamatalaga mo le puipuiga ma le saogalemu o Ofisa eseese o Femalagaiga mai le Pasefika. E soa ma poupou, tapu’e ma vanivani ia mapo le malu le faasoaina o faamatalaga tau i le puipuiga ma le saogalemu.
O le fatu lea o le galuega faapuipuiga, ia malu ma saogalemu atunuu, ma o tatou tagata ma mea totino. O le tatou nafa ma le anava tauave faatasi lea, e su’i tau i le tini, e faitaulaga ai mo o tatou atunuu, le Pasefika ma le lalolagi.
Ou te manatu o le a le afaina i so outou finagalo le momoli o le tatou upu i le gagana peretania mo le malamalama o nai o tatou uso mai le Pasefika ma a tatou paaga mai fafo ua o tatou faatasi i lenei taeao.
Reverend Inu Amosa Pouoa
Members of the Pacific Immigration Development Community Management Board
Head of the PIDC Secretariat
Representatives of Countries Contact Points from the region
Colleagues and friends
I welcome you to this significant week of intelligence and information sharing amongst Immigration Officers, partners, and stakeholders.
The PIDC National Contact Points was created to foster transparent and effective communication, nurture genuine partnerships, and strengthen coordination and collaboration among our Pacific Immigration agencies, to strive for solidarity and unity on ways to address multifaceted challenges we face in the immigration spectrum.
With technological advancement, information sharing has evolved and improved in frequency and timeliness and availability in various forms. However notable challenges are evident in the areas of research, analytical capability, verification, accountability and transparency. The evolving security landscape at various levels, legislative requirements, systemic capacity, and personalities are other major factors hindering free and timely sharing of information and intelligence among law enforcement agencies. This has ramifications on seamless response to security risks and emergencies and channeling of humanitarian assistance.
Bridging this gap is one of the fundamental reasons why NCP was formulated and all the more reason why we are exploring and expanding into new frontiers, such as the commencement of the maritime NCP for immigration officers specifically working in the maritime environment. We know, a lot is happening in the maritime domain and immigration is one of the key components of maritime security. Open and timely information sharing with other law enforcement agencies, through proper protocols and processes, will ensure continuous flow of information.
There are challenges in intelligence networking, irregular people movement, maritime and cyber security, rapid technological advancement, in conjunction with profiling and biometrics. The opportunity therefore to share, receive, discuss and dialogue through this NCP platform can lead to better coordination, trusted networking, interoperability, and above all, a secure, safe and prosperous blue Pacific. I believe the sessions organised for this meeting will help refresh, equip and bolster our joint efforts to respond to traditional and emerging security threats.
I should mention that artificial intelligence is fast becoming a tool used by security agencies to help with their information and intelligence support. We will need to further explore it in our pursuit of a united front in our fight against transnational organized crimes, illegal migration, smuggling and trafficking to name a few.
Please do get some time to see our country. Enjoy our Samoan hospitality and make the most of your time in Apia.
I wish you all fruitful discussions over the next few days.
God bless you,
Soifua
