The Pacific: from “Arc of Instability” to “Arc of Responsibility” and then to “Arc of Opportunity”?

This special volume of Security Challenges contains contributions from leading experts and Pacific scholars that reflect on progress and prospects in the “Pacific arc”. This Introduction begins by identifying common themes that emerge from the contributions regarding the way in which Australia relates to the arc, and how the arc responds to Australia. It then summarises the contributors’ conclusions regarding the future prospects of the arc. It concludes by arguing that, although Australia has extensive interests in the arc, it has declining influence over the region. The contributions suggest that, in order for the arc to become a source of security, rather than threat, Australia needs to take a more cooperative and long-term developmental approach that engages with the local context, including the resilience of Pacific societies. Consequently, it may be time for Australian policymakers to see the region not as an “arc of instability”, but instead as an “arc of opportunity”.