In the lead-up to the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, scheduled for the end of August, Suva has become a hub of activity with numerous preparatory meetings taking place over the past two weeks. Important discussions have revolved around issues such as unrest in New Caledonia, membership applications from US territories, declining banking services, and a local climate finance fund.
While the Forum Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the Forum Economic Ministers’ Meeting are not frequently covered by the media, their importance in shaping the agenda for the leaders’ meeting is significant. Recent years have seen these gatherings gain more recognition, reflecting a heightened understanding of Pacific regionalism among major powers like the US and Japan. The term “Blue Pacific” has become a common theme in official communications from these nations, originating from the efforts of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
New Caledonia has been a primary focus for the foreign ministers, particularly due to recent tensions triggered by attempts to reform voting rules, which resulted in violence and a severe economic downturn where GDP has contracted by 25% since early May. Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown announced that French President Macron has approved a PIF mission to visit New Caledonia prior to the leaders’ meeting. The Prime Ministers of Cook Islands, Fiji, and Solomon Islands are expected to visit the territory next week.
Additionally, New Caledonia has been formalized as a continual agenda item for the PIF leaders’ discussions, alongside issues concerning human rights in West Papua. However, progress on addressing human rights in West Papua has been stagnant since the Forum requested a visit from the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2019.
The foreign ministers agreed to support American Samoa and Guam’s applications for associate membership in PIF, with the final decision expected to be made by the leaders in Tonga. This comes on the heels of the controversial decisions in 2016 to include New Caledonia and French Polynesia as full members.
Concerns persist regarding the diminishing banking services in the region, which are vital for maintaining connections to global trade and finance. Recent efforts by Nauru and Vanuatu to attract the Bank of China have raised alarms among the US and its allies, prompting Australia and New Zealand to assist nations at risk of losing crucial banking relationships, including a recent Australian pledge of $4.15 million.
A significant milestone was reached in establishing the Pacific Resilience Facility, with ministers recommending its headquarters be located in Tonga. This decision aligns with the tradition of distributing regional institutions among PIF members to foster political commitment to regional cooperation.
The timeline for the operationalization of the climate finance mechanism remains uncertain due to a considerable funding gap; of the targeted $500 million by 2026, approximately $328 million still needs to be raised. The UN Secretary-General has committed to hosting a pledging conference in New York soon, with hopes resting on involvement from wealthy nations as a sign of commitment to tackling the climate crisis.
These ministerial meetings set the groundwork for the upcoming leaders’ conference in Tonga, although geopolitical dynamics may influence the collective focus towards bilateral rather than regional initiatives, risking a lack of decisive action on critical issues like deep sea mining.
Transparency remains a concern regarding regional meetings, despite a return to sharing draft outcome statements with regional media after the recent foreign ministers’ meeting. There is still a need for more opportunities for journalists and analysts to engage with the discussions surrounding Pacific regionalism, which is essential for building community support for the challenging journey ahead.