he Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) took part in this year’s multinational Exercise Croix du Sud 2025, hosted by the French Armed Forces in New Caledonia (FANC). The biennial exercise, recognized as one of the Pacific’s largest regional civil-military training events, brought together defence and emergency response forces from across the Indo-Pacific, reinforcing interoperability in the face of humanitarian crises and natural disasters.

In a historic first, the 2025 iteration of Exercise Croix du Sud extended its operations to Wallis and Futuna, marking the first major surge of defence personnel on the islands since World War II. This unprecedented deployment emphasized the growing importance of regional cooperation in addressing the unique challenges faced by remote Pacific Island communities in times of crisis.

Fiji’s contribution to the exercise included the deployment of a Platoon and a number of Staff Officers, signifying its continued commitment to regional security and humanitarian preparedness. The Fiji Platoon was assigned a critical task on Futuna Island—to conduct clearance operations to establish a safe environment for follow-on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) activities. Their mission included simulated patrols, securing key infrastructure, and enabling access to affected communities.

The exercise scenario replicated a post-cyclone disaster environment with widespread infrastructure damage, disrupted communications, and isolated populations. The Fijian troops displayed professionalism and adaptability throughout, working alongside personnel from France, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, Tonga, and several other participating nations. Their efforts ensured that the island was secured and that humanitarian aid—such as medical support, engineering assistance, and emergency supplies—could be safely delivered.

As part of the official VIP Day events, Commander RFMF, Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai, visited the exercise site in Wallis and Futuna. He took the opportunity to engage directly with RFMF troops deployed on the ground, commending their dedication, discipline, and teamwork. The Commander also interacted with senior leaders from participating nations and FANC personnel, highlighting Fiji’s role as a dependable partner in regional security and disaster response cooperation.

In his remarks, Major General Kalouniwai emphasized the strategic value of such engagements:

“𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘪𝘹 𝘥𝘶 𝘚𝘶𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘍𝘪𝘫𝘪’𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤.”

The deployment also served as a practical training ground for junior commanders and staff officers to operate in a multinational, complex environment, boosting their confidence and operational acumen.

Fiji’s participation in Exercise Croix du Sud 2025 is part of its broader strategy to strengthen regional defence ties and improve national capacity in responding to natural disasters—a growing threat in the context of climate change and extreme weather events in the Pacific.

The RFMF remains committed to regional solidarity and stands ready to support peace, stability, and humanitarian action wherever it is needed. Through initiatives like Croix du Sud, Fiji continues to position itself as a reliable contributor to the collective security and resilience of the Pacific region.