Page 13 - IB OCT 2017

Forum High ambition Meg Taylor talks about Inside Story What led the king to dis-
island solidarity and commitments
solve Tonga’s Parliament P23
‘ suspicious about PACER-

People are very

Plus ...they are asking
if it is to make us happy
and not be critical
when the Australian

Government is pursuing
policy on coal mines ... ‘
From left: The view from the Apia waterfront where the forum met. Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull and PNG PM Peter O’Neall discuss issues. Samoan Police band entertainment. SPC DG Dr Colin Tukuitoga and his deputy
Patricia Cornish with Fiji Foreign Affairs Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola. Photos: Nic Maclellan
with representatives of 18 non-member
were waiting for us to sign PACER-Plus. Secretariat is undergoing significant re- states, was held for the first time before
It looks like they put a stop on it, but we structuring. One of two Deputy Secretary the Forum leaders retreat.
hope by signing this we can open up the Generals, Andie Fong Toy, completed The dialogue involved a new format
negotiations and increase the number her term of office earlier this year and with panel discussions and debate
we have in Australia.” will not be replaced. The Secretariat has rather than a long line of talking heads.
Although Tuvalu has signed the conducted a series of internal reviews, As leaders held their private retreat,
PACER-Plus agreement, Prime Minister including an analysis of governance and there were also three side events un-
Enele Sopoaga tied ratification to Aus- financing, a review of the structure of derway at the Forum venue, including a
tralia’s climate policy, which Tuvaluans Forum meetings and an overview “State day-long seminar on Chinese trade and
say affects the broader relationship on of Pacific Regionalism report 2017.” investment in the region, an information
aid, trade and labour mobility. Australia and New Zealand currently day on Pacific ICT and a seminar on the
“My own people in Tuvalu are asking provide the largest financial contribu- importance of the International Criminal
me to clarify what’s going on,” Sopoaga tions to the Forum Secretariat, leading Court for the Pacific.
said. “People are very, very suspicious to a common criticism that they drive the
about PACER-Plus and even to the work regional agenda. However in Apia, Fo- West Papua debate
schemes that are being proposed that rum leaders delayed plans to introduce As a small group of Samoans rallied
will give jobs to Tuvalu. They are ask- a new Sustainable Funding Strategy for in solidarity with West Papua across the
ing me if we need to ratify PACER-Plus, the Secretariat. The strategy proposes road from the venue, Dame Meg Taylor
or if PACER-Plus is simply a window changes that would update the existing made a brief visit to the protest as a
dressing, to make us be happy and not system of assessed contributions by symbol of her commitment to keep the
be critical when the Australian govern- each member state to fund the Suva- issue on the regional agenda.
ment is pursuing policy on coal mines.” based headquarters. With some Smaller A large delegation from Indonesia was
“We will have to rethink about wheth- Island States anxious about the costs present in Apia to stymie any attempt to
er we will ratify these documents or not,” of Forum membership, any change to strengthen communiqué wording about
he added. “I seriously have asked my funding arrangements will be delayed West Papua. Indonesian diplomats con-
advisors to give me some advice, be- until next year. stantly complain that the Forum and
cause my people back home are asking One feature of this year’s meeting was Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG)
questions. They welcome the commit- an attempt to allow more discussion with should be focusing on economic co-
ment to adaptation and ODA, but then non-state actors. For the first time ever, operation rather than “political” issues
they see policies that are leading to an civil society and private sector represen- like West Papua.
increase in greenhouse gas emissions. tatives formally met with all 18 heads Vanuatu Prime Minister Charlot Sal-
These don’t go well together.” of delegation, to present their perspec- wai dismissed this attitude, reasserting
tives on key security, development and the Forum’s role as the premier political
Forum restructuring economic topics. organisation in the Council of Regional
As always, work in the corridors was Organisations of the Pacific: “The MSG
Forum leaders unanimously re-ap- livelier than the formal plenary sessions. was political but slowly we took on more
pointed Dame Meg Taylor for a second The foyer coffee shop of Aggie Grey’s responsibilities like trade and security.
term as Secretary General, allowing her Hotel was abuzz with lobbying and gos- The MSG was set up by our founding
to bed down changes in the regional sip, especially for the growing horde of fathers like Walter Lini to support the
organisation (see separate interview). people that gather on the margins of the self-determination of every Melanesian
In their communiqué, leaders affirmed annual meeting (Post Forum Dialogue country.
that they are “the apex of the regional Partners, multilateral development
architecture and the driver of regional banks, NGOs, research centres and the
priority setting and resource allocation.” occasional bemused tourist).. Continued overleaf
Under Taylor’s leadership, the Forum The annual Post-Forum Dialogue, web link:
www.islandsbusiness.com

Islands Business, October 201713