WORKING DOCUMENT No. 36 | Visions from Australia, Chile, France, and New Zealand on the South Pacific

In recent decades, the geopolitical landscape of the South Pacific has established itself as a laboratory where the main challenges of the contemporary international order converge: competition between powers, the protection of global commons, and the pursuit of cooperation-based maritime governance. This collection of articles explores, from diverse perspectives, the processes that are shaping this strategic region and the responsibilities that fall upon the coastal states. Together, they confirm that the South Pacific is not a peripheral or passive territory, but a fundamental axis in the redefinition of global balance, especially given its connection to Antarctica, maritime security, and the ocean routes that connect the southern hemisphere with the rest of the world.

For this reason, we asked the specialist in maritime security Paul D. Pelczar to share his perspective on the topic and to enlighten us regarding the Austral Entente. This agreement is a values-based mari-time framework for cooperation between Austral-ia, Chile, the French Pacific forces, and New Zea-land. It was created as a Defense-led initiative, but enjoys broad government support, as maritime presence is insufficient without alliances. From his perspective, Commander Pelczar invites us —the four countries—to share a coherent strategic vi-sion for the South Pacific and the Southern Ocean, and urges us to pursue unrestricted coordination, especially looking toward Antarctica, a territory in-creasingly exposed to subtle strategic competition.

Our executive director Juan Pablo Toro warns us about the dispute between powers to gain influence over the South Pacific and presents a perspective from Chile. He emphasizes the necessary commitment of its members and effective participation in the South Pacific Defence Ministers’ Meeting (SPDMM), which allows for the articulation of collective responses to the region’s shared problems, coordinating maritime security efforts in the Pacific Ocean, given that it already serves as the center of gravity for global affairs.

On her part, Céline Pajon, coordinator of the Pacific Program at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), discusses the key role France plays in strengthening the SPDMM’s operational relevance in the region. She also underscores the optimization of French initiatives within regional security architecture. At the same time, she stresses that this meeting of ministers needs to demonstrate its importance, as the region faces growing geostrategic rivalry and intensifying competition for influence. In addition, she argues that the Pacific is becoming more vulnerable to natural disasters and extreme weather events.

Anna Powles of Massey University in New Zealand explains the importance of the Pacific Response Group, endorsed at the 2024 SPDMM, as it is the first formal multinational military asset in the region for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions in the Pacific Islands, a region highly vulnerable to disasters and where such operations play an increasingly strategic role.

Finally, in this document, researchers from Australia, Chile, France, and New Zealand present positions that share a common goal: safeguarding the connectivity, stability, and sustainability of the ocean that unites us. They also support the idea that the SPDMM forum be tasked with strengthening cooperation in both maritime security and humanitarian assistance activities, including military deployments in the context of these operations.

Vice Admiral (R) Ignacio Mardones Costa
Head of Development and Strategy, AthenaLab

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