Results for Pacific Islands Forum

Tonga's Prime Minister, Hon ‘Akilisi Pohiva is leading Tonga’s delegation to the 49th Pacific Islands Forum Meeting held in Nauru from September 3-6.

Prime Minister Hon. ‘Akilisi Pohiva is attracting world wide media attention after he made comments suggesting that Pacific Island leaders participate in a year long weight loss competition.

A complex four-days Pacific regional meeting to discuss a theme of “Building Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a Catalyst for economic growth”, began in Avarua, Cook islands today, 27 October. It aims to increase the engagement of the Private Sector in the Pacific Island economies, and to identify regional approaches for Private Sector to address its economic concerns.

Fiji’s six-year suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum has finally ended, its suspension lifted by the Forum last Wednesday 22 October. However, whether or not Fiji’s government chooses to return to the Pacific Island’s Forum is another matter.

Pacific Leaders at a Special Retreat meeting in the Cook Islands on May 5 agreed to overhaul the Pacific Plan. Consultation meetings are currently being held throughout the region, to prepare a draft Framework for Pacific Regionalism, including a consultation meeting in Nuku'alofa last week.

A new six-year partnership deal has been signed between Australia and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS). Australia will pay $21.6 million (AUD) for the first three years of the partnership.

Pacific Island Forum Leaders made a commitment to be Climate Leaders when they adopted the Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership in Majuro, Marshall Islands early this month, 5 September. The Declaration will be presented by the Chair of the Pacific Forum to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

This week’s Pacific Islands Forum focuses on: “Marshalling a Pacific Response to Climate Change” when the leaders of the Pacific Island Forum will propose the Majuro Declaration for Climate Leadership, to galvanize a new wave of climate action. At this critical time in the history of the Pacific, it is essential the discussion goes beyond words and pledges and results in concrete actions and commitments, from all actors, to combat climate change. - World Bank Group.

The growth of vibrant economies and stable societies among Pacific island countries is at the heart of the Pacific Plan. It is a collective ambition that can be realised when heads come together in Rarotonga to add stimulus to the momentum for progress that the peoples of the Pacific richly deserve.