In the lead-up to the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting scheduled for the end of August in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, Suva has been the center of attention for over two weeks. Preparatory meetings have been taking place at the headquarters in Fiji, focusing on a variety of pressing issues such as unrest in New Caledonia, membership applications from U.S. territories, challenges in banking services, and the establishment of a localized climate finance fund.
The recent Forum Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and Forum Economic Ministers’ Meeting, while influential in shaping the agenda for the leaders’ meeting, have not received adequate media attention. However, their importance is increasingly recognized as regionalism in the Pacific gains prominence on the global stage.
New Caledonia was a major topic of discussion among foreign ministers due to recent events, including controversial voting rule reforms that led to violence and significant economic contraction. Forum Chair Mark Brown, who is also the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, confirmed that French President Macron had approved a PIF mission to New Caledonia before the leaders’ meeting. The prime ministers of Cook Islands, Fiji, and Solomon Islands plan to visit New Caledonia next week, with a tight schedule as Fiji’s Sitiveni Rabuka is set to return from a 10-day trip to China.
Discussions revealed that New Caledonia will now be a permanent agenda item at the Forum leaders’ meeting, which will also address human rights issues in West Papua. However, there has been no significant progress on a 2019 request for a UN Human Rights Commissioner visit to Indonesia’s Papuan provinces.
In an important development, the foreign ministers agreed in principle to support applications from American Samoa and Guam to attain associate membership in the PIF. While the final decision will be made by the leaders, confirmation is expected in Tonga. However, the prospect of granting them full membership remains complex, particularly following the controversial inclusion of New Caledonia and French Polynesia as full members despite their French territory status.
Concerns regarding the reduction of banking services in the region have surfaced, as these are vital for maintaining connections to global trade and finance, especially through remittances. In response to recent engagements from Nauru and Vanuatu with the Bank of China, Australia and New Zealand have pledged support to countries at risk of losing correspondent banking relationships.
Ministers have made strides towards establishing the Pacific Resilience Facility, recommending that it be based in Tonga. This choice aligns with the longstanding practice of distributing regional institutions among PIF member countries to foster commitment to regionalism.
The timeline for operationalizing this climate finance mechanism remains uncertain, as significant funding gaps still exist. Of the $500 million goal set for 2026, around $328 million has yet to be pledged. With the UN Secretary-General expected to attend the PIF, a pledging conference in New York is anticipated to draw attention from global powers committed to addressing climate issues in the Pacific.
These ministerial meetings have underscored vital regional matters in preparation for the upcoming leaders’ meeting. Nonetheless, there are concerns that geopolitical dynamics could hinder unified regional actions, leading to a deferral of decisive measures, especially regarding contentious issues like deep-sea mining.
Transparency remains a concern during these regional processes. While there was a positive shift in sharing a draft outcomes statement with media following the foreign ministers’ meeting, opportunities for journalists to engage and ask questions remain limited. Enhancing engagement with the media and analysts is critical for building community understanding and support for regional initiatives in the Pacific.