In efforts to strengthen regional ownership and ensure alignment with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, Pacific Islands Forum Leaders have endorsed a new policy for engaging with external partners. Designed to uphold Pacific leadership, voice, and engagement, the policy emphasizes partnerships that are genuine, durable, and accountable, ensuring they resonate with Pacific cultures, values, and priorities.
This innovative policy marks a strategic shift as it replaces the former Dialogue Partner and Observer classifications with a dual framework: Strategic Partners, who are involved in long-term cooperation, and Sectoral Partners, who provide targeted support in specific areas. A transitional stream will accommodate partners moving between these categories.
The policy reflects a response to the increasing diversity of Dialogue Partners and Observers, with leaders accentuating the necessity to safeguard the primacy of Pacific voices in decision-making. To be recognized as partners under the new system, entities must fulfill explicit criteria, which include a long-term commitment to the Pacific, alignment with Forum priorities, and transparency regarding political and economic interests. These applications will be subject to a formal assessment process, followed by political discretion by the leaders.
To ensure ongoing alignment with regional drivers, admitted partners must develop a Pacific Action Commitment and Engagement (PACE) Plan, detailing their contributions to the Pacific’s regional priorities under the 2050 Strategy. Strategic Partners will access annual leaders’ dialogues, while Sectoral Partners will engage in technical and thematic discussions.
The policy further mandates annual reporting and a Quadrennial Assessment to monitor engagement, ensuring partners meet their obligations. Deviation from defined criteria could result in partners being re-streamed, suspended, or having their status annulled.
This move comes in the midst of growing geopolitical tensions and climate challenges. Past engagements were compromised by competing agendas and external influences overshadowing Pacific priorities, leading leaders to seek tighter control to avoid the Forum becoming a battleground for external powers. Additionally, climate change discussions often faced resistance, pushing leaders to demand stronger commitments from influential nations.
With this new framework in place, the Forum seeks to welcome partners while ensuring respect for Pacific sovereignty and alignment with collective interests. By anchoring partner engagement at a strategic level, the policy reinforces the continuity and alignment with shared priorities, making partnerships cooperative ventures on Pacific terms. The move towards a Pacific-centric engagement model underscores the commitment to creating durable regional advantages, promising a brighter and more unified future for the region.
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