Pacific Islands Forum Cyber Framework

Boe Declaration on Regional Security (2018) & Lagatoi Declaration on Cyber & Tech Security (2023)

Pacific Islands Forum regional cybersecurity framework (18 member states) with Boe Declaration (2018) and Lagatoi Declaration (2023) establishing coordinated digital safety standards backed by $27M Australian investment.

Jurisdiction

Pacific Islands Forum (18 member states)

Enacted

Pending

Effective

Jan 1, 2023

Enforcement

National authorities coordinated regionally via Pacific Islands Forum

Regional cybersecurity framework with $27M Australian investment

Australian DFAT Pacific Security

Why It Matters

Pacific Islands Forum cybersecurity framework creates baseline regional digital safety expectations for AI chatbot platforms operating across multiple Pacific island nations.

Recent Developments

Lagatoi Declaration adopted 2023; $27M Australian investment announced

At a Glance

Applies to

AI CompanionMental Health AppGeneral Chatbot

Who Must Comply

18 Pacific Islands Forum member states
Regional critical infrastructure
Cross-border digital services in Pacific

Obligations fall on:

Operator — Operates the platform or service

Safety Provisions

Regional cybersecurity coordination
Digital safety capacity building
Cyber incident response framework
Cross-border cooperation mechanisms
$27M Australian investment for implementation

Compliance & Enforcement

Penalties

Penalties vary by jurisdiction

Primary Source

Australian DFAT Pacific Security

https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/pacific/shared-security-in-the-pacific

View on map

Pacific Islands Forum (18 member states)

Focus Areas

General regulation

Cite This

APA

Pacific Islands Forum (18 member states). (2023). Boe Declaration on Regional Security (2018) & Lagatoi Declaration on Cyber & Tech Security (2023).

Related Regulations

In Effect BN

Brunei PDPO

Brunei's personal data protection order requiring DPIA and imposing penalties up to 10% Brunei turnover or $1M.

In Effect IN

India DPDP Act

STRICTEST children's provisions in APAC. Children = under 18; verifiable parental consent MANDATORY; PROHIBITION on tracking, behavioral monitoring, targeted advertising to children.

In Effect ID

Indonesia PP 17/2025

Indonesia's comprehensive child online protection regulation establishing age-appropriate design requirements for electronic systems accessible to children. Most granular age classification globally (5 groups). Requires risk assessments, privacy-by-default, parental consent, DPIAs, and prohibits data profiling of children. First of its kind in Asia and Global South.

In Effect CN

China CSL Amendments

First major revision of China's foundational Cybersecurity Law since 2017. Introduces formal AI governance provisions, significantly increases penalties, and expands extraterritorial application to all cybersecurity violations.

In Effect AU

AU National AI Plan

National AI policy roadmap replacing previously proposed mandatory AI guardrails. Focuses on leveraging existing legal frameworks rather than new mandatory requirements. Establishes the Australian AI Safety Institute (AISI) to monitor, test, and share information on AI risks and harms.

In Effect IN

India AI Governance Guidelines

Voluntary AI governance framework built on seven core principles ('sutras'): Trust, People First, Innovation over Restraint, Fairness & Equity, Accountability, Understandable by Design, and Safety/Resilience/Sustainability. Establishes AI Governance Group, AI Safety Institute, and Technology & Policy Expert Committee.

All regulations Check if this applies to you

Last updated January 22, 2026. Verify against primary sources before relying on this information.