Description

Twenty years ago the Pacific was a geo-political backwater. Pacific island countries, with the exception of Papua New Guinea, had little to offer in natural resources, they were ranked as least developed with limited opportunities for  trade in return for development with many heavy reliance on subsistence economies. Foreign embassies were being closed down or reduced in size. Fast forward to 2025 and the Pacific has become a region of intense geo-political focus and competition. While others stepped back, China slowly but steadily extended its influence and reach in the Pacific especially through its Belt and Road infrastructure interventions and maritime silk road ambitions. This has triggered counter moves by countries which see China as a threat to national security, to the freedom of the high seas, and/or to the international rules based order. Australia, New Zealand, France, India, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom, belatedly recognising they had taken their eyes off the Pacific, ‘stepped up’, ‘refreshed’ and re-engaged. As a result, Pacific island countries are now overwhelmed with offers of aid, loans, development initiatives, finance schemes for climate resilience, mitigation and adaptation, proposals for the diversifying economies, assistance with policing, security, customs and cyber-attacks, and other interventions.

This seminar focusses on this geo-political competition including the downsides of this increased interest in the region, how it impacts governments and ordinary people, and how global tensions between major players are prompting Pacific island leaders to call for recognition of the Pacific as an Ocean of Peace.

SPEAKER’S BIO

Sue Farran is a Professor of Comparative and Plural Law. Her research spans a number of inter-related areas and often uses case-studies from the South Pacific to illustrate broader themes. Through critical and comparative study, Sue explores the relationship between people and organisations, identifying potential and actual conflicts and pinpointing challenges and ways in which these may be addressed. In her published work Sue has collaborated with numerous colleagues and in particular worked with Pacific island scholars, practitioners and those engaged in law and policy development. Publications include single and co-authored monographs, edited collections, chapters in books, articles in international peer-reviewed journals, contributions to reports for policy makers and law reform commissions, and short pieces for blogs and media.

Between 2021-2024 Sue was seconded to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as a Research Fellow providing Pacific research expertise for policy makers and diplomats in London and the region.