Image: Vanuatu Daily Post There have been a number of valuable initiatives in the VPF in recent times, such as the successful introduction of the Police Information Management System, which has been a major step forward for the VPF in managing incidents. Most significantly, a number of major upgrades of the VPF are now in the pipeline, including the recruitment of 320 additional personnel, infrastructure upgrades for the VMF (Cook Barracks in Port Vila and Tiroas Barracks in Luganville) and the PMW, and the establishment of a School of Excellence at Luganville focusing on leadership and disaster response capacity, and additional training opportunities. Vanuatu police made a valuable contribution to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). The VPF participated in UN peacekeeping in East Timor and a number of African countries between 2000 and 2016. Vanuatu’s first peacekeeping experience was the VMF’s contribution to operations in Bougainville in 1997. Vanuatu will develop its future peacekeeping capacity, commensurate with its resources and the domestic demands on the VPF. The primary role of the VMF is to assist the general duties branch of the VPF to restore and maintain law and order as necessary; and the secondary role is to provide a limited but first line of defence against external aggression in the event of an external threat. Tasks include internal security duties including riot control, counterinsurgency and counter terrorist operations, if needed; land-based search-and-rescue and search and clear operations; disaster relief operations; close personal protection of VIPs; peace operations and peace building; operating the national fire service; community development projects including limited engineer construction tasks; and regimental duties including guards of honour, credentials ceremonies, and quarter guards. The current strength of the Vanuatu Mobile Force is 189. 25