Page 27 - IB FEB 2020

Opinion Opinion

PIF Leaders took to Madrid as a rallying cry for greater North-South Cooperation by way of the ACP-EU Cooperation
commitment to the Paris Declaration fell on deaf ears. Prime beckons immediately given the current negotiations for a
Minister Natano articulated the frustration of PIF Leaders: “It new agreement to replace the Cotonou Agreement. In this
is disheartening that our collective political commitment and context, PACP States in PIF are negotiating directly with
resolve, as the Pacific Islands Forum, was not upheld by the the EU for a Pacific-EU Protocol. The timing is perfect. ACP
parties to this declaration, where it mattered most – that is in States at their Nairobi summit last December agreed to ‘A
the negotiating rooms in Madrid.” Transformed ACP Committed to Multilateralism.’ As can be
A useful takeaway from the situation above is that the PIF imagined, PIF can advance its stance on climate change
message is not being heard nor appreciated by the Parties to through eliciting the support of the ACP Group as a whole and
the Conference. Conference regulars are either not attuned also directly with the EU via the Pacific-EU Protocol under
to the PIF message or they suffer from selective hearing. In negotiations.
the context of global conferences – large and impersonal, it As regards South-South Co-operations, PIF, again, can elicit
is easy to imagine that either of these prospects could be the joint advocacy on its climate change stance either through
case. the collective action of the ACP Group cooperating with other
On the other hand, the PIF message may not be forcibly large South groups or through its own effort by cooperating on
articulated sufficiently. There can be a number of reasons for the basis of inter-regional south-south co-operations. The UN
this. It is interesting to note however that in looking forward Office for South-South Co-operation (UNOSSC) is particularly
to COP26, the PIF Chair is calling on his fellow leaders “to active in facilitating this area of collaborative development.
reaffirm and uphold the commitment that we have made It is interesting to note that the Regional Coordinator of
through the Kainaki Declaration and strive for ambitious UNOSSC (Asia–Pacific), Mr. Denis Nkala paid a visit to the
climate action that positively responds to the indisputable Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) early in January
scientific evidence that has been presented (to) us through this year. Mr Nkala also discussed the prospect of Triangular
the special IPCC reports.” Cooperation.
Will COP26 and subsequent ones be any different? It is Triangular Cooperation offers exciting prospects as well.
difficult to be optimistic. Instead of flogging a dead horse at The choice of partners can be specific to their respective
this multilateral level, PIF is best to change tack. It should commitment to climate change. The prospects and
divert some of its energy to seeking strong and supportive opportunities of a configuration comprising, say, of two south
advocacy of its ‘climate change crisis’ message to other groups cooperating triangularly with either a developed
forms of multilateralism and even plurilateralism that are lot country partner or a multilateral organisation can be a source
more attuned to listening and appreciating this message and of great regional satisfaction.
are more likely to orchestrate with ease the forces of their For PIF, there is nothing to lose. It can only stand to gain if
advocacy in support. This can then carry over to the global all through its multifaceted efforts as suggested above, there
conferences. begins a concerted effort by the international community to
Engagements in North-South, South-South and Triangular limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as set out in the Paris
Co-operations present specific opportunities for PIF to step Agreement. Only then can the Blue Pacific continent safely
up its game and win some kudos for its laudable stance on exist.
climate change

Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama (far left) at COP25 in Spain last year. Photo: UNFCC

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