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SPRING CLEAN LONG DUE FOR THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM |
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By Ruci Farrel |
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A revamp of the
Pacific Islands Forum has breathed new life into the 33 year old
regional organization and its 16 member island states.
The forum now has a fresh mandate and vision. A proposal to develop a
Pacific Plan is in the pipeline and the Secretary General along with
the Forum Secretariat will have expanded and more specific roles to
play.
Established in 1971, the Pacific forum is the political grouping of
independent and self governing states that provides members the
opportunity to express political views and to cooperate in areas of
political and economic concerns.
Its members are Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New
Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga,
Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Each year Pacific leaders meet to consult and revise regional concerns.
It is administered by the Forum Secretariat based in Suva and the
current Secretary General is Greg Urwin, who was appointed at the forum
in Auckland last August.
Leaders at
that forum recommended a review of the forum’s objectives and roles as
the region prepares for globalisation and free trade with world
markets.
An Eminent Persons Group was given the task of consulting with Pacific
leaders, NGOs, politicians and communities to provide the forum
specific focus in its responsibilities.
The group, led by former Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Julius
Chan, tabled its report at a Pacific Island Leaders Retreat in Auckland in April
this year (April 6, 2004).
With the exception of Nauru, 15 member countries were unanimous in their
acceptance of the long awaited review that the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) was
tasked to conduct following the Pacific Forum in Auckland last August.
“This is undoubtedly the most important review that the Pacific Islands Forum
has undertaken since its inception,” forum chair and Prime Minister of New
Zealand Helen Clark said in the post retreat media conference. |
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Pacific Island Leaders with members of the Eminent Persons Group
(EPR) in Auckland. |
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Pacific Forum meeting in Auckland chaired by New Zealand Prime
Minister, the Rt. Hon. Helen Clarke. |
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Pacific Forum members include Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa,
Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
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The Auckland Declaration acknowledged that in a fast changing, complex and
unpredictable global environment, it was timely to refresh the forum to preserve
its relevance and allow it to provide leadership to the region.
The EPG came together in February with a draft report which was scrutinized by a
broader reflections group drawn from around the Pacific before presenting the
report to Helen Clark in March.
“It was my view having watched the report develop that it was significant enough
to call
Leaders together in Auckland so we could get the Secretariat and the Secretary
General going, so we could get a substantive forum in Apia rather than wait
until Apia to look at this and then wait another year to see what the
secretariat make of it in the first instance,” Ms Clark said.
It has come up with a proposal for the development of a detailed Pacific Plan
which the Secretariat will be mandated to progress with the first report due
back at the Apia forum.
“It affects everybody in the Pacific to have a very clear focus on economic
development, sustainable development, focusing on areas where through
co-operation and collaboration we can lift everybody’s achievements and
aspirations,” Ms Cark said.
The key issue is a better future, better lives for people in the Pacific,
details of that need to come through in the Pacific Plan, she said.
Developing the plan will follow a two tier process with the appointment of a
Task Force. Prior to that, terms of reference will be presented at the Apia
forum for approval.
A quartet, comprising the immediate past forum chairman, the current chair and
his/her successor and a representative from the Small Island States will then
ensure the Task Force stays on track and basic goals are achieved.
Leaders recognized that a fundamental role of the Forum is to support the
particular needs of Small Island States and to advocate their interests,
especially in regards to their limited capacity and protecting their fragile
environment.
The importance of cultural identity, regional inclusiveness, human rights issues
and accommodating the needs of women, gender youth and civil society will ensure
the forum exists for the practical benefit of Pacific people.
Foreign Ministers from member island states will meet in Rotorua later this year
before the forum convenes in Apia in August.
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