The Pacific Islands Forum Regional Security Committee has concluded its two-day meeting at the Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji today with a retreat session to consider broader security issues in the region.

The retreat session chaired by New Zealand focused on the development of a human security framework for conflict prevention; the linkages between women, peace and human security; Land Management and Conflict Minimisation, an assessment of potential security challenges to the region; progress in the implementation of the broader security and governance priorities of the Pacific Plan and the Secretariat's activities under the Biketawa Declaration.

The meeting welcomed the initiative by the Forum Secretariat to develop a three year Human Security Framework for Conflict Prevention for consideration at next year's FRSC meeting.

The Human Security Framework for Conflict Prevention will provide insight into how broader security issues can be causes of conflict and crisis, and provide a set of tools for preventing and addressing these at the national and regional level.

The Committee reaffirmed the importance of the linkages between women and conflict when furthering work on conflict prevention and responses.

The Committee endorsed the Land Management and Conflict Minimisation Guiding Principles and the Implementation Framework for Customary Land Management and Conflict Minimisation and recommended that these be adopted by the Forum Leaders.

The retreat session also discussed the implementation of the Biketawa Declaration with reports on the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands and the implementation of the Leaders' decision at the 2007 Forum and the 2008 Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting on the situation in Fiji. The meeting welcomed the progress made in implementing the Leaders' decisions at the 2007 Forum regarding the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands. It also noted the Forum's ongoing work to encourage and support Fiji's return to parliamentary democracy.

The next Forum Regional Security Committee meeting will be held in June 2009.