The final day of deliberations by Pacific Islands Forum leaders ended in a disagreement on how they might tackle the issue of climate change.

The disagreement was sparked off by a document, the “Funafuti Declaration” from the Smaller Island States (SIS).

The SIS is made up of the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau and Tuvalu.

In their Declaration, which was submitted to the Forum during their final day of deliberation on 15 August; they were calling for

• a commitment to limit the rise in global warning to 1.5 degrees Celsius,
• an immediate phase out of coal, and
• contributions to the UN Green Climate Fund.

But Australia with its continued interest in coal mining, wanted to soften the wording on climate change, according to reports from the ABC.

The Chairman of the Forum, and the Prime Minister of Tuvalu expressed his appreciation that the 12 hour negotiations by Forum Leaders over the Declaration were extremely frank.

“We stressed very strongly during our exchange, in fact between me and Scott [Morrison] and said you are concerned about saving your economies or your situation in Australia, while I am concerned about saving my people in Tuvalu, that was the tone of the discussion.”

However, at the end another Declaration was drafted, the Kainaki II Declaration, with different terms on coal use and emissions reduction.

So at the closure of the 50th Pacific Islands Forum meeting there was a Communique, a Funafuti Declaration and a Kainaki 11 Declaration.

Securing a future

The big issues of Climate Change and Sea-level Rise were core issues deliberated over by Pacific Islands Forum leaders during their four days meeting at Funafuti, Tuvalu from August 13-16.

The theme for the 2019 Forum was “Securing our Future in the Pacific”, and Pacific Island leaders were welcomed at the Funafuti International Airport, Tuvalu by children siting submerged in water singing, “Save Tuvalu, save the world” setting the tone.

Pacific Skills Portal

A highlight included the launching of the Pacific Skills Portal Initiative (PSPI) to improve the accessibility and the sharing of information about skills requirements of Pacific economies, to inform policy and planning.

Hon. Enele Sosene Sopoaga, the Chairman of the Forum and the Prime Minister of Tuvalu in launching PSPI emphasized that a crucial part of securing a prosperous and secure future lies in evidence-based decision-making to secure investment in skills development. He welcomed the initiative to make labour market data and skills-relevant information accessible.

Dame Meg Taylor, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, stressed that she was a firm believer in the capacity and ability of Pacific people. She was an ardent supporter of “investing in strengthening the capacity of our people to deliver for our people and secure our future here in the Pacific.”

Tongan Prime Minister

The Tongan delegation to the Funafuti Forum meeting was led by the Prime Minister, Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva. He raised a few eyebrows when he again expressed his support of the struggle of the people of West Papua for freedom from Indonesia. He pleaded for Pacific Islands countries to support the West Papuan struggle for Independence.

However, the PM caught media attention for Tonga’s participation when he was reported to be in tears during tense exchanges between the Tuvalu PM, Hon. Enele Sosene Sopoaga and the Australian Prime Minister, Hon. Scott Morrison.

The agenda for the four days meeting comprised of the Smaller Island States Leaders Meeting, the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific ACP Leaders Meeting, the Official Opening Ceremony of the 50^th Pacific Islands Forum, the 50^th Pacific Islands Forum Formal Session, the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Session with Civil Society Organizations, the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Session with Private Sector Representatives, the Forum Leaders Retreat, the Official Closing Ceremony of the 50^th Pacific Islands Forum, the Forum Dialogue Partners Meeting and a Farewell Function for all delegates hosted by the Government of Tuvalu on 16 August.