In preparation for the upcoming 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, significant discussions have taken place in Suva, Fiji, over the past two weeks. Key issues such as unrest in New Caledonia, membership applications from US territories, decreasing banking services, and the establishment of a local climate finance fund have dominated the agenda of recent ministerial meetings.
Despite not receiving widespread media attention, the Forum’s Foreign Ministers’ and Economic Ministers’ Meetings play a crucial role in shaping the discussions and decisions that will occur during the leaders’ meeting. Recent years have seen a rise in the prominence of these gatherings, reflecting a growing acknowledgment of the importance of Pacific regionalism. The term “Blue Pacific” has become increasingly prevalent in official communications, indicating the influence of the PIF’s work.
Particularly pressing has been the situation in New Caledonia, where ongoing violence has followed attempts to alter voting regulations. Since unrest began in May, the territory has experienced a significant economic downturn, with GDP contracting by 25%. Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown announced after the meeting that President Macron of France approved a PIF mission to visit New Caledonia ahead of the leaders’ meeting. The prime ministers of Cook Islands, Fiji, and Solomon Islands are expected to visit the territory next week before heading to Tonga for the leaders’ summit.
New Caledonia will be a key item on the PIF leaders’ agenda, alongside ongoing discussions regarding human rights in West Papua, although there has been little progress on this front since a 2019 request for a visit from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
In a significant development, the foreign ministers have expressed conditional support for American Samoa and Guam’s applications to join the PIF as associate members. While this approval is not final, it is anticipated that these applications could be confirmed during the upcoming meeting in Tonga. However, moving towards full membership for these US territories could prove more challenging.
Concerns regarding the reduction of banking services in the Pacific region continue, highlighting the need for connections to global trade and financial systems. In response to proposals from Nauru and Vanuatu to invite the Bank of China to establish operations in their countries, Australia and New Zealand have pledged support for nations facing potential banking service losses, with Australia committing $4.15 million to this cause.
The establishment of the Pacific Resilience Facility also took a step forward, with ministers suggesting that its headquarters be located in Tonga. This decision aligns with the practice of distributing regional institutions among PIF member states to foster political commitment to regionalism.
However, the path to operationalizing this climate finance mechanism remains uncertain, as more than $328 million of the initial $500 million target by 2026 still needs to be pledged. The UN Secretary-General is expected to host a pledging conference in New York soon, with hopes that donors like France, the UK, and wealthy Middle Eastern nations will commit to addressing the Pacific’s climate crisis.
As the leaders’ meeting approaches, the ongoing influence of geopolitical interests raises concerns that discussions may lean towards bilateral agreements rather than addressing collective regional challenges. Issues such as deep-sea mining continue to create friction within regional discussions.
Transparency remains a concern in regional processes, although there was a positive return to sharing draft outcome statements with the media following the recent ministerial meetings. However, opportunities for journalists to engage meaningfully with the discussions are still limited, underscoring the need for improved access to foster public understanding and support for Pacific regionalism.