| 45th Pacific Islands Forum | |
|---|---|
| Host country | Palau |
| Date | 29 July 2014 (2014-07-29) – 1 August 2014 (2014-08-01) |
| Cities | Ngerulmud Koror |
| Participants | |
| Follows | 44th Pacific Islands Forum |
| Precedes | 46th Pacific Islands Forum |
| Website | www |
The45thPacific Islands Forum was held from 29 July to 1 August 2014 inPalau.[1] The forum's official opening was held in the capitalNgerulmud, inMelekeok State, but the majority of events were held inKoror, Palau's largest city and former capital.[2] The official theme of the meeting was "The Ocean: Life & Future". Topics under discussion includeclimate change,commercial fishing, non-communicable diseases and the possibility of readmittingFiji to the forum.
The Pacific Islands Forum is aninter-governmental organization that aims to enhance cooperation between the independent countries of thePacific Ocean. It was founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum. In 1999, the name was changed; Pacific Islands Forum is more inclusive of the Forum'sOceania-spanning membership of both north and south Pacificisland countries andAustralia. It is an official observer at theUnited Nations.
The mission of Pacific Islands Forum is “to work in support of Forum member governments, to enhance the economic and social well-being of the people of the South Pacific by fostering cooperation between governments and between international agencies, and by representing the interests of Forum members in ways agreed by the Forum”. Its decisions are implemented by thePacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), which grew out of theSouth Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation (SPEC). As well as its role in harmonising regional positions on various political and policy issues, the Forum Secretariat has technical programmes in economic development, transport and trade. The Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General is the permanent Chairman of theCouncil of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP).[3]
President of PalauTommy Remengesau declared the official theme of the Forum would be "The Ocean: Life & Future", with the major focus on the issue of climate change amidst concern over rising sea levels and sinking islands in the Pacific Ocean.[4] He stated that the solution to the problem of rising seas as well as ocean warming and acidification is the reduction ofCO
2 emissions.[5] Pacific islands leaders plan to produce a follow-up to theMajuro Declaration, which was passed at the 44th Pacific Islands Forum with the support ofUnited Nations Secretary-GeneralBan Ki-moon.[1]Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum SecretariatTuiloma Neroni Slade commended Remengesau for the choice of theme, noting "it is a theme that is most timely with considerable strategic significance in the lead up to the 3rd UN conference on Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) to be held inSamoa, in September."[citation needed]
Other topics on the agenda for the Forum include commercial fishing and non-communicable diseases.[1] Earlier this year, President Remengesau proposed a ban on commercial fishing in Palau. Bans and other ways to promote marine conservation will be discussed at the Forum.[1] Leaders are upset that despite the lucrative nature of the Pacific tuna fishing industry, worth approximately four billion US dollars per year, it is poorly managed and little of the money trickles back to Pacific countries.[5] Prevalence of smoking and obesity are widespread in the Pacific, and leaders in Palau want to discuss ways to reduce these problems at the Forum. To model good practices, smoking has been banned during the course of the event, and dietary guidelines have been put in place for food served at all meetings during the event.[1]
The readmission ofFiji to thePacific Islands Forum was also discussed at the Forum. Fiji wasbanned in 2009 after the military government that took power in the2006 Fijian coup d'état promised elections in 2009 but failed to hold them.[6] However, readmission is unlikely to occur before theFijian election in September.[4]Prime Minister of New ZealandJohn Key said he would discuss allowing Fiji to return to the Forum, butForeign Minister of FijiRatuInoke Kubuabola previously stated that Fiji would not consider reapplying unless Australia and New Zealand were banned from the forum.[1]
In addition to representatives from each of the 15 participating countries, representatives of major powers such as theUnited States,China,India, and theEuropean Union also attended the forum.[4][7]FormerWhite House Chief of Staff and now formerCounselor to the PresidentJohn Podesta led the US delegation at the forum, a group including senior officials from theNational Security Council,United States Pacific Command,United States Coast Guard,United States Department of State,United States Department of the Interior,Peace Corps,United States Agency for International Development, andHawaii.[8] The delegation of the European Union was led byHigh Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy for the EU andVice-President of the European CommissionCatherine Ashton.[7] Ashton will speak at a plenary session on 30 July and host a dinner that same evening. Her goals are to discuss issues of mutual interest such as climate change and increase strategic relations between the EU and Pacific islands. The EU has already agreed to provide over 750 million Euros for bilateral and regional cooperation.[7]
Prime Minister of AustraliaTony Abbott andPrime Minister of New ZealandJohn Key, heads of government of the two largest participating countries in the Forum, were both unable to attend.[8] Tony Abbott was occupied with matters concerning the crash ofMalaysia Airlines Flight 17. The Australian delegation was led byDeputy Prime Minister of AustraliaWarren Truss andParliamentary SecretaryBrett Mason.[6] The New Zealand delegation was led by Foreign MinisterMurray McCully, who promised a $5 million programme to update navigation maps for the region, and to help protect Pacific fisheries.[9][10]TheGreen Party of Aotearoa New Zealand condemned Key for not attending the forum, and accused both leaders of not caring deeply enough about theeffects of climate change.[8]
The forum concluded with DameMeg Taylor ofPapua New Guinea being appointed as the first female Secretary General of thePacific Islands Forum.[11]
