Vanuatu may soon have the opportunity to take part in international peacekeeping missions through its Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF), under a renewed cooperation agreement with Fiji.

Public Relations Officer of the Government, Kierry Manasah, told VBTC News that one of the key outcomes of the agreement is the possibility for Vanuatu to send VMF members to overseas peacekeeping duties.

“The cooperation agreement is an agreement that guides both countries to engage at the diplomatic level. In terms of Fiji, we have a lot in common, and Prime Minister Jotham Napat has requested that Fiji can create some space for our VMF to be part of peacekeeping, and we know Fiji is good in that. These are the opportunities that Vanuatu can be part of, and we can use this channel to work with Fiji,” Mr. Manasah explained.

The cooperation agreement was signed in Honiara this week by Vanuatu’s Prime Minister, Hon. Jotham Napat, and his Fijian counterpart, Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka.

The agreement signals a strengthened partnership between the two countries, grounded in mutual respect, Melanesian values, and a shared vision for closer collaboration. It covers a wide range of areas including Education, Health, Security, Agriculture, Trade and Commerce, ICT, Humanitarian Assistance, Labor, Energy, Infrastructure, Immigration, and Sports, while also allowing for the development of additional sectoral agreements in other priority areas.