The Minister of National Security, the Honourable Wayne Munroe, K.C., M.P., addressed the 12th Beijing Xiangshan Forum and the 6th China-LAC Defence Forum, highlighting the security challenges currently facing The Bahamas.
Accompanied by a delegation that included Permanent Secretary Bridget E. Hepburn, Defence Force Commodore Floyd Moxey, and Inspector Ernest Mortimer, Minister Munroe was one of eleven Defence Ministers and Defence Representatives who presented at the China-LAC Forum.
Held from September 17th to 19th under the theme “Upholding International Order and Promoting Peaceful Development,” the three-day Forum has become a key platform for addressing global security challenges. It brought together over 1,800 participants, including official delegates from more than 100 countries and international organizations.
Minister Munroe identified three primary security challenges confronting The Bahamas: the
impact of transnational organized crime due to the country’s strategic geographic location;
persistent flows of irregular and illegal migration; and significant threats from poaching and
unmonitored vessel movements, exacerbated by responsibility for patrolling over 180,000 square
miles of ocean.
He also emphasized the challenges posed by climate change, noting that The Bahamas’ location
exposes the nation to hurricanes, flooding, and the imminent threat of sea-level rise, all of which
can affect infrastructure, public safety, and long-term national resilience.
Forum participants engaged in discussions on topics including “Building a Just and Equitable
Global Security Governance System,” “Strategic Mutual Trust and Security Cooperation in the
Asia-Pacific Region,” “International Order and Global Security and Stability,” and “Building
Regional Peace Through Dialogue and Consultation.”
Prior to departing China, the Bahamian delegation paid a courtesy call on Ambassador Paulette
Bethel.
