Fiji for the first time participated at the 4th Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo 2023 (MNEK 2023) and the 5th International Maritime Security Symposium (IMSS) in Makassar, Indonesia from 4-8 June 2023.
Chief of the Fiji Navy and Deputy Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), Commodore Humphery Biutilomaloma Tawake and Lieutenant Josua Dabea represented our nation.
Fiji is among the 36 countries to have participated in the MNEK and IMSS which was based on the theme, “Partnership To Recover And To Rise Stronger”.
The Fiji Government is grateful to the Indonesian Government and the Indonesian National Military-Naval Forces for this opportunity which is a testament of Fiji-Indonesia’s robust defence cooperation.
The 4th MNEK and 5th IMSS was a platform to strengthen regional security cooperation to tackle the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.
It shared insights on national security and defence strategies pertaining climate change resilience and adaptation for Defence Forces.
The government agencies and NGOs will be able to mitigate climate change by enhancing response time and capabilities in Humanitarian And Disaster Relief (HADR) situation.
The Indonesian TNI Commander Admiral Yudo Margono and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral TNI Muhammad Ali officially opened the 4th MNEK and 5th IMSS.
In his remarks, Admiral TNI Muhammad Ali said, “it is crucial that we acknowledge and address the ever-changing dynamics of geopolitics in our region, as well as the complex and diverse non-traditional maritime challenges we face, including natural disasters and pandemics. These challenges require us to unite and collaborate, ensuring the stability of our region through multilateral cooperation”.
