Formal Opening of PCBMS

The Centre for Customs and Excise Studies (CCES) is pleased to announce that the Pacific Centre for Border Management and Security is now fully operational. The Centre represents a partnership between CCES, Fiji National University (FNU) and the Oceania Customs Organisation (OCO).

Officially opened on 17 February 2025 by Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister, the Honourable Viliame Gavoka, the Centre is located on FNU’s Namaka campus in Nadi. In his address, the Honourable Viliame Gavoka said the Centre’s establishment is a significant milestone, not only for Fiji but for the entire Pacific region.

FNU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba in her keynote address, emphasised the Centre’s role in investing in “education and training that directly impact national security, economic development, and regional stability.” She also highlighted the Centre’s pivotal role in developing the Pacific region’s capacity “to tackle critical issues such as transnational crime, human trafficking, drug smuggling, biosecurity threats, and illicit trade.”

CCES CEO, Professor David Widdowson emphasised that effective border management plays a vital role in a country’s security and prosperity. “It’s about protecting the country from harmful goods, ensuring that those who enter the country do so lawfully, facilitating trade to help boost the economy and encourage inward investment and above all, protecting a nation’s sovereignty.”

Further information can be found at https://www.customscentre.com/pacific