Page 8 - IB AUG 2017

Main Story
Pacific Islands go French

French in says Grynberg
No problems,

the House REGIONAL trade commentator Dr
Roman Grynberg does not have
see any big negatives in the in-
clusion of French Polynesian and
New Caledonia in PIF.
With the French in, he thinks
other colonial powers like the
owners of the Pacific’s United States should be offered
rich tuna stocks mainly in full membership of PIF as well.
the northern, western and “This was always
central Pacific states of going to be the
Federated States of Micro- main problem with
by Samisoni Pareti nesia, Kiribati, Marshall a unified CROP gov-
Islands, Palau, Papua ernance structure,”
AT least two major regional bodies have New Guinea, Nauru, Solo- Dr Aqorau wrote Dr Grynberg
hit legal and administrative roadblocks mon Islands and Tuvalu. Photo: File in his emailed re-
as they move to implement the decisions Dr Aqorau’s views seem to tie in well
of Pacific leaders to include the French with an analysis on the implications of sponse to questions Dr Grynberg.
from this magazine.
Photo: File
territories of French Polynesia and New full membership of French Polynesia “But the days of
Caledonia as full members of the Pacific and New Caledonia in PIF by former France being the region’s ‘bad
Islands Forum. Foreign Minister of Fiji and expert on boy’’ are over and having France
Worte affected is said to be the Pacific Pacific regionalism, trade and diplo- on the governing councils of the
Forum Fisheries Agency, based in Ho- macy, Ambassador Kaliopate Tavola. Forum should be no more difficult
niara, capital of Solomon Islands. He believes the decision by Pacific than having Australia and New
The FFA membership is reportedly leaders at their annual Forum in Pohn- Zealand there.
concerned that its strategic and confi- pei, Federated States of Micronesia “Is there a good reason why the
dential positions on the management in September 2016 to approve full USA should not be there as well?
and conservation of tuna have been membership was made out of “political The optimal structure would al-
compromised with the inclusion of considerations.” ways have been the island states
France – through its Pacific territories He also believes the membership deciding by themselves with ANZ,
-- into its membership. question could have been used as a France and the USA as observ-
So much so that a former deputy pawn by New Zealand, a key Forum ers as is the case in other regions
director general of the FFA and pioneer- member, to appease France in its failed where the colonial footprint is
ing CEO of the influential sub-regional bid to have its former PM Helen Clark less heavy but that I fear is also
grouping, the Parties of the Nauru elected United Nations Secretary Gen- history now.
Agreement Dr Transform Aqorau has eral. “The aid-funded invertebrates
called for the elevation of PNA to be the “On governance, there will be logisti- who govern our region will never
lead agency in protecting the region’s cal legal, financial and administrative agree to this as it might upset the
rich tuna stocks. difficulties (including having to provide flow of aid. So France and possi-
“I know that the FFA membership is language facilities) to overcome. Maybe bly the USA as a counter balance
deeply concerned about the implications the various CROP agencies are already to the complete ANZ domination
of sharing the same room with France encountering these difficulties in carry- in the Forum should be wel-
in Pacific Island tuna discussions, and ing out their cooperation and integration comed.”
this issue was discussed at great lengths activities,” wrote Ambassador Tavola.
at the recent Pacific Fisheries Ministers’ “On security, it is anticipated that
meeting in the Gold Coast,” Dr Aqorau new shades of geo-politics will now decision at the PIF Leaders meeting was
tells Islands Business magazine. emerge in the region if they have not still a consensus. The ‘Pacific Way’ has
“So you can see that there is now a done so already. These, if not managed been advanced as the means to achiev-
perception that the FFA’s position has properly, can expose the region to more ing such a consensus. But I believe
been compromised, prompting the view disputatious and conflicting situations, that this is just another example, of the
that perhaps the time is right for PNA to thus attracting a possible label of ‘hot abuse of this much-maligned term.”
step up and become the lead agency in spot’ in what is supposed to be a pacific Ambassador Tavalo didn’t focus spe-
regional tuna management.” Pacific Ocean. cifically on the implications of widening
PNA membership is reserved only to “Notwithstanding all these issues, the membership in the FFA, but talked more

8 Islands Business, August 2017