Chapter 2. The Evolution of Vanuatu’s Security Environment and Outlook. Risks and Opportunities. Vanuatu has direct interests in geo-strategic developments in the Pacific; in the dynamic Asia Pacific where important shifts in power are taking place; and at the global level. Globally, the strategic outlook is now more uncertain than it has been for some decades. Key assumptions are being called into question. Change is unpredictable, rapid and often large-scale, bringing with it both opportunities and threats. Strains in the rules-based global order are evident, and tensions and rivalry between the major powers are on the rise. The shape of what is to emerge is not clear. Vanuatu is at the heart of the vast Pacific Ocean and sits across important lines of communication. The Second World War underlined the strategic importance of the Pacific. After some years of relatively little attention, external powers are increasingly seeking influence in the region. 16 Part 1. National Security in a complex world