Fiji has launched national consultations on it’s first-ever Cybersecurity Strategy, in a decisive step toward securing its digital frontier, positioning the nation as a Pacific leader in cyber resilience and digital trust.
Permanent Secretary for Trade, Co-operatives, MSMEs and Communications Mr. Shaheen Ali opened the National Cybersecurity Strategy (NCS) consultation at Suvavou House in Suva Tuesday this week, with a message: “We are not simply shaping policy; we are shaping our digital future.” The gathering of Government officials, industry stakeholders, civil society, and academia marks the beginning of a broad effort to draft Fiji’s Cybersecurity Strategy 2025–2030, a blueprint for safeguarding critical infrastructure, public trust, and digital progress.
The strategy follows April’s launch of the National Digital Strategy (NDS), which sets ambitious targets: growing ICT’s share of GDP to 10% by 2030, creating 40,000 jobs, and attracting over USD 100 million in digital investment.
But as the Permanent Secretary noted, “These ambitions hinge on trust. And trust requires cybersecurity.”
Cyber threats are no longer theoretical. From ransomware to AI-enabled scams, the global rise in digital vulnerability is already impacting Pacific nations. Fiji, with 96% 3G and 4G coverage and imminent rollout of 5G, is more connected than ever. But with that access comes increased exposure. Citing the damaging eBay scam and the surge of over 30,000 new global software vulnerabilities last year, the Permanent Secretary emphasised that cybersecurity “is now a front-line concern that underpins national security, economic resilience, and public trust.”
To match its ambition with action, Fiji is launching several initiatives. Government has invested over $5 million in upgrading GOVNET, its core network infrastructure, and has committed to launching a 24/7 Government Security Operations Centre (SOC). In parallel, the establishment of Fiji’s first national Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) is underway, along with new policy and legislation on privacy and data protection. Ratification of the Budapest Convention and accession to its Second Protocol has strengthened our cross-border digital evidence cooperation.
Consultations will be guided by Fiji’s recent Cyber Maturity Model Review, conducted in partnership with the Oceania Cyber Security Centre and the UK Government. The review identified key capability gaps and will shape the new strategy’s action plan. Tuesday’s session, focused on securing government systems and critical infrastructure, is just one in a series of dialogues designed to ensure the strategy is both technically robust and grounded in Fiji’s social and economic realities.
The scope of the cybersecurity agenda is widening. A National AI Policy is also in development, recognising the dual-edge potential of artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, the Government is conducting a national cloud infrastructure assessment to inform a future-proof cloud policy.
“Cybersecurity is no longer a back-office issue. It’s a whole-of-society challenge,” Mr. Ali concluded.
With consultations now underway, Fiji is signaling not just intent, but leadership, readying itself to thrive in a digital age by building a resilient, inclusive, and secure cyber future.
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