PIF

This comes as incoming Forum chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown travelled to Japan as part of the PIF delegation in an effort to convey their concerns.

He requested a deferral of Japan's plans which will see over one million tonnes of wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant dumped into the ocean.

The Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru and Palau announced in February last year that they would withdraw from the forum, after losing the vote to elect a new secretary-general.

At the time, they said say the rejection of their candidate, Marshall Islands' Gerald Zackios, had led to division within the Pacific. Forum members voted in favour of former Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna.

The Government of Vanuatu has formally advised the Forum of its intention to defer the 51st Pacific Islands Forum Meeting scheduled for 4 - 7 August 2020 to next year.

The Vanuatu National Taskforce recommended to the Government to defer in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A meeting of the Vanuatu Council of Ministers discussed the recommendation at a meeting last month.

Photo PIF Caption: PIF Leaders at their meeting in Tuvalu in 2019 

Mere Falemaka, the Permanent Representative in the Permanent Delegation of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) presented her letter of appointment as Observer to the UNOG in Geneva Tuesday to the UNOG Director General Michael Moller.

The regional representative’s office will now be known as the Permanent Delegation of the Pacific Islands Forum to the United Nations, World Trade Organization, and other international organizations in Geneva.

At the conclusion of its 48th annual meeting in Apia last week, the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders were unified in endorsing the deregistration of any North Korean trading or fishing vessels currently flagged on Pacific states’ shipping registers.

“This is a pivotal moment for the planet and a lifeline for the most vulnerable people of the Pacific”, said Secretary General Taylor.

The 46th meeting of the Pacific Island leaders ended in Papua New Guinea last week with a repeat of calls to tackle climate change.

Small island states like Kiribati say developed nations like New Zealand and Australia should set their emissions target at 1.5 degrees but the two countries remain set on two degrees.

Jenny Hayward-Jones from the Lowy Institute says the resulting communique will still bring a strong Pacific voice to COP21.

This is the will of all the Pacific leaders and their people including Australia and New Zealand and PNG as chair is mandated to consult with Indonesia.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott revealed this to the media tonight after the Pacific Island Forum Leaders’ retreat in Port Moresby.

“Australia will be increasing its Ariel surveillance of the Pacific (Ocean) and will be committing additional $19million a year so the fisheries (industry) can be properly patrolled and policed,” Abbott said.

Australia will also be giving a new patrol boat to monitor illegal fishing in the PIF nation’s exclusive economic zone. 

He said a “stronger economy is vital and fishing and tourism is a mainstay of Pacific economies.”

This was the outcome announced by O’Neill this evening after much debate among leaders.

O’Neill is also expected to consult the Indonesia government on a fact finding mission by PIF to West Papua.

“We declare that this is a consultation process and we need to work together and the Indonesia government must be commended for their efforts to ensure more autonomy is given to West Papua,” he said. 

West Papua Human rights issue was a key agenda discussed today by the leaders.