Page 27 - IB March 2021

Opinion

WHAT IS TO BECOME OF

PACIFIC REGIONALISM?

By Ambassador Kaliopate Tavola Zealand.
PICs, I believe, can be best characterized as prisoners
In the September/October 2019 issue of this magazine, I of their own geography. Tim Marshall (2015, ‘Prisoners of
reflected on the ‘Death of Pacific Regionalism?’ (also known as Geography’, Eliot and Thompson Ltd), writes: “Geography has
Pacific Islands Forum). It was a leading question in my mind at always been a prison of sorts – one that defines what a nation
the time having just witnessed signs of fracture. I concluded is or can be, and one from which our world leaders have often
as follows: “There is disunity within the collective. The col- struggled to break free.”
lective’s power is stymied. The collective has been manifest- PICs, as a group of nations, can be seen in this context. Our
ing malaise that points to, inter alia, inherent structural and relatively small sizes, wide dispersal in the largest ocean on
compositional flaws. In the meantime, intense geopolitics in Planet Earth and remoteness from main markets will always
the region require self-re-examination of the Forum with fresh define us and what we can do together – to be strong and
vigour, purpose and destiny. The proposed 2050 strategic plan effective. Our geography requires us to cooperate with each
needs to look seriously at refitting Pacific regionalism anew other, pool our resources and integrate our economies and
for the new challenges tomorrow.” politics. The accrued benefits for each member of the collec-
The fracture became a break when disunity reigned in tive would be much greater compared to that if a PIC was on
February. The five Micronesian members withdrew their PIF its own. Any rupture of this natural tendency for cooperation
Students at AUT. membership following the divisive events of the virtual elec- and integration can only be done at our own peril. Our future
tion of new Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) Secretary lies in our togetherness.
Sacred concept of the interviews, which are General (SG) Henry Puna. pairing the rupture have begun. A number of regional leaders
This universal truth is shared by many. Thus, efforts at re-
The divisive mood prevailing at the time was not aided
also founded on a Pacific
vā underpins study framework. by Fiji’s deportation of Vice Chancellor and President (VCP) have spoken to plead for return to regional solidarity. Some
regional commentators have pinned their hopes on a rever-
Professor Pal Ahluwalia of the regional University of the South
“For Pacific peoples,
the vā underpins all as- Pacific (USP) about the same time as the elections. Fiji, in sal of the decision to leave PIF during the 12-month period
New Pacific research from AUT puts the sacred concept of pects of our lives – yet the eyes of many PIF/USP members, had been undermining required for the ratification of the agreement jointly signed
the vā at the heart of its study. many Pacific-focused the University’s governance structure, specifically the work of by all Micronesian Leaders. That clearly directs the hope to
For pan-Pacific peoples, the vā is generally acknowledged programmes and initia- the USP Council. These members see such intervention by Fiji the lawmakers in these Micronesian countries to tap their vast
as the relational spaces that bind and unify all people and tives fail to incorporate as unwelcome and as an unduly exercise of its influence – it reserve of goodwill and cooperation for continued regional
things. this all-important con- being a large contributor to the University budget, the largest collective efforts.
Nationwide, more than 500,000 Kiwi adults live with low cept into their approach- beneficiary and as its host. Furthermore, they are also envisaging ways and means by
literacy and numeracy (L/N) skills. Māori and Pacific peo- es or outcomes. We are The Micronesians’ withdrawal resulted essentially from their which newly elected SG Henry Puna can start right away to
ples are strongly over-represented in this cohort. committed to creating in- dissatisfaction with the loss of their candidate for the SG posi- strategise creatively to repair the rupture. These commenta-
Led by AUT’s NZ Work Research Institute, “The expres- clusive environments, so tion when it was their turn for PIFS leadership role under a tors envisage a particularly strong and resourceful partnership
sion, experience and transcendence of low-skill in Aotearoa, Dr Betty Ofe-Grant from the AUT our participants feel safe long-standing ‘gentlemen’s agreement’. In the eyes of the Mi- between him and his Micronesian Deputy SG that can be suf-
New Zealand” is a qualitative study that explores the barri- Business School. to share their experiences cronesians, the unwritten rule of behaviour for the group was ficiently imaginative and resourceful to placate the unhappy
ers against and enablers to transcending this low skill base. with low L/N skills. Sim- not honoured. National politics, subregional and geopolitical Micronesians.
The Pacific component of the research aims to understand ilarly, the way we understand and interpret their responses sensibilities should have gone in the way of regional solidarity, Dr Tess Newton Cain, an associate of the Development
the reality of what does and doesn’t work for Pacific peoples will be founded in teu le vā, or Pacific methodology and in their view. Policy Centre, sought my view on the matter. I commented
living with low L/N skills - how they became part of this analysis,” says Dr Ofe-Grant. The Micronesians’ withdrawal of their membership put an as follows: “Puna should now reassure the Micronesians that
cohort in the first place, how their lives and livelihoods are The impact of low L/N skills has significant economic and end to Pacific regionalism or PIF, as we have known it since his tenureship at PIF will mark a strong partnership with his
affected by low L/N skills, and what kind of pathways could social costs nationwide, including increased risk of unem- 2000. Regional Leaders then had agreed to switch name of the deputy SG, who will be granted relevant authority and vis-
help them improve these skills. ployment and poverty, detrimental effects on physical and group from the South Pacific Forum (SPF) to PIF to reflect its ibility in the conduct of the operations of Pacific regionalism.
Dr Betty Ofe-Grant (AUT Business School) leads the mental well-being, and decreased social and political con- wider country membership at the time. Moreover, their interests will be given special focus during his
Pacific component of the study, which will comprise 150 nection. From the perspectives of nomenclature and composition, term” – see ‘Regionalism in retreat’, DevPolicyBlog.
– 200+ participants recruited from Auckland, Wellington, Dr Ofe-Grant says the research objectives include policy it can be said that Pacific regionalism is ‘dead’. The five Resuscitating the 18-member PIF is only one option open to
Christchurch and Dunedin. Focus groups and interviews recommendations, effective interventions that align with the Micronesian members have withdrawn their membership and the region. That depends very much on the goodwill of the
will be conducted by research assistants of Pacific descent. OECD focus on skills development, and implementation of PIF – reduced to 13 country members, is no longer the body it Micronesian states and whether their respective ratification
Dr Ofe-Grant says it is vital that participants are “seeing a holistic, fresh and integrated response that is mindful of was. The reduced membership that has resulted can logically processes will allow that to happen. When it happens, we can
themselves” represented in the small group discussions and entrenched patterns of social and economic insecurity. revert to being called the SPF that was created at the estab- expect that PIF will make some essential changes to its rules,
lishment of the forum in 1971. for instance, to mark a new beginning. Samoa Prime Minister
Read about the NZWRI-led study into low literacy and numeracy skills here: My prediction embodied in my reflection of 2019 is thus a Malielegaoi is already envisaging formalising the process of
https://workresearch.aut.ac.nz/research/low-literacy-and-numeracy-research foregone conclusion. However, whilst this may be so, it is not electing a new SG to that used by the Organisation of African,
Read about Betty Ofe-Grant here: https://academics.aut.ac.nz/betty.ofe.grant the end of regionalism for Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and Caribbean and Pacific States, which is a strict regional rota-
for their developed country members of Australia and New tion. Furthermore, we could expect a new surge of goodwill

Islands Business, March 2021 27