What is National Security? Our national security capability has played an important role in responding to natural disasters and has contributed to regional and United Nations peace keeping services. National security is a broad and evolving concept. It is concerned with how we shape our environment, and how we prevent and prepare for threats to our sovereignty, people, assets, infrastructure and institutions. National security is also concerned with how we respond to such threats and recover from any event which may occur. Under the expanded concept of security now widely accepted, national security also includes threats such as climate change and natural disasters, cyber security and elements of human security. Alignment of the National Security Strategy The overall security of a nation is intimately linked to economic stability, resource efficiency, good governance and social cohesion. Vanuatu can draw on the three elements of its security forces (Police, Maritime Wing and Vanuatu Mobile Force) as well as other government departments and agencies to fulfil its national security responsibilities. The Strategy takes full account of Vanuatu’s governance and developmental context and is aligned with Vanuatu’s national, regional and international goals and commitments. At the national level, the Strategy flows from the responsibilities of the State set out in the Constitution and complements the aims of the National Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP) 2016 - 2030 At the regional level, the Policy is aligned with Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) policies, most notably the Framework of Pacific Regionalism, adopted by PIF leaders in 2014, and the Boe Declaration on Regional Security, agreed by Pacific Islands leaders at the Nauru PIF in 2018. The Vanuatu’s People’s Plan, or the National Sustainable Development Plan 2016-2030, is the fundamental document charting Vanuatu’s future. The National Security Strategy supports all the objectives of the Plan but is aligned most directly with Society Pillar 5 on “Security, Peace and Justice”. 12 Part 1. National Security in a complex world