With plans afoot for the Micronesian Leaders to officially leave the Pacific Islands Forum, Fijian Prime Minister and Chair of this year’s Pacific Islands Forum, Voreqe Bainimarama has urged Micronesian Leaders to stand in solidarity with the rest of the Pacific Leaders in charting a way forward to tackle development issues and other crises as one Pacific family.
Bainimarama hopes the Micronesian Leaders know the doors to our home are open to them, and he urges them to reconsider and work with all the fellow leaders to find ways to respond to their large concerns and overcome this disagreement for the long-term.
He says as Chair of this year’s Pacific Islands Forum, he invites the Micronesian Leaders to join them in Suva, in person, to give our Pacific way a fair shot to continue the work we have been doing for 50 years, and recommit ourselves to a stronger common purpose.
Bainimarama says throughout the 50-year history of the Forum, the mana of their leadership has been tested by the natural complexities of regionalism.
He says like any other family, we have disagreements but we are held fast together by thousands of years of shared culture, traditions and history and now by shared political strategic and economic interests.
Bainimarama says as sovereign nations with common challenges and a common destiny, we can be proud of what we have achieved together.
He says our voice has been strong and it is now too powerful for the world to ignore.
Bainimarama says today, in the face of climate and ocean crisis and the economic crisis that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought upon us, solidarity is still our best recourse.
He adds that as a unified bloc, we have commanded the attention of the most influential nations and multilateral organisations.
The Prime Minister says with climate action finally at the top of the agenda for the United States, we have a window of opportunity to enlist a global super power in the pursuit of a resilient net-zero future we have all fought so hard to make reality.
Bainimarama says he has invited President Joe Biden to the Pacific Forum Leaders meeting this August to join Pacific nations on the frontlines of the climate emergency. He says it would be among the most powerful acts of solidarity the new American President could show the climate-vulnerable.
While conveying his deep respect for his fellow Micronesian Leaders, Bainimarama said that he regretted the announcement on their intention to leave the Pacific Islands Forum.
The five Micronesian member states of the Pacific Islands Forum have decided to quit the organisation in response to the appointment of former Cook Islands Prime Minister, Henry Puna as the new Forum Secretary General.
The presidents of Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands and Palau issued a joint communique, saying they agree to start to initiate the formal process of leaving the Forum.
The leaders collectively expressed disappointment with the appointment process, which overlooked the Micronesian candidate Gerald Zackios.
The leaders say a gentleman's agreement to rotate the Forum's top position among Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia was not honoured when a majority of Forum leaders chose Puna.
Radio NZ had reported that the membership was clearly divided on the matter last year as some Polynesian and Melanesian countries put forward candidates, despite an understanding that it should be Micronesia's turn at the post.
Minister for Infrastructure Jone Usumate had said in parliament last week that Fiji withdrew the name of Ratu Inoke Kubuabola for the position of Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, as the country did not want to put its interest first. Usamate said that what Fiji pushed for was to go for the most meritorious person to fill the role. He said every other country was pushing for its own candidate, and Fiji took a principled stand.
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
