What’s on the agenda at the Pacific Islands Forum?

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What’s on the agenda at the Pacific Islands Forum?

The Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, the annual gathering of regional leaders, is being held this year in Tonga beginning on Monday.

It is the biggest and most significant political gathering of the region, drawing more than 1000 delegates from both member countries and other nations, as well as civil society organisations.

Australia is being represented by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is expected to arrive mid-week ahead of the all-important Leaders Retreat on Thursday.

This year, ******* Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is also attending, giving the summit extra prominence.

Countries also holding bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the talks, which increasingly attracts a large NGO presence.

Some of the biggest issues in 2024 are:

* New Caledonia

A long-running transition of political power from Paris to the Pacific was derailed this year when France pushed ahead with voting reforms, angering the largely pro-independent Indigenous Kanak population. Noumea has suffered huge damage, at least 11 are ***** – with victims on both sides – and governments in France and New Caledonia are at loggerheads. There are different views on the matter through the region, but a harmonised Pacific position will try to be reached.

* Climate change

The single biggest issue affecting the Pacific will be pushed along by Mr Guterres’ attendance, who has made cutting emissions his signature issue while UN chief. Pacific countries contribute the least towards global warming but are acutely affected. They want developed nations – including Australia and New Zealand – to phase out fossil fuels faster, and help them fund adaptation and mitigation projects.

* Policing and security

Australia plans to create a Pacific-wide police service based out of Brisbane which could support the region during difficult episodes such as disasters or unrest, or supplement local police during major events, such as elections or the Pacific Games. The initiative, which would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, is seen as a direct challenge to similar offers from China. Mr Albanese is expected to use the summit to endorse the initiative.

* Economic resilience

Already some of the world’s least developed countries, Pacific nations were hard-hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourist numbers dropped, border closures dried up flows of people in and out of Australia and New Zealand and therefore remittances, and supply chain woes hurt growth. Both Pacific politicians and development partners are eager to see the region back on its feet.

* Regional unity

A major focus of recent PIF forums has been unity given the five Micronesian nations walked from the body in 2021, coerced back after broken promises to share power were bridged through the 2022 Suva Agreement. Australia and New Zealand now argue for “PIF centrality”, with both nations reorienting their foreign policy towards their nearest neighbours.

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