Pacific Island leaders have reached an agreement that looks set to stop the region’s top regional body from fragmentation, taking an important step toward healing an ugly gap opened by a fierce leadership competition this year. past.
Key points:
- Micronesian leaders abandon demand for PIF chief Henry Puna to resign immediately
- Puna will be replaced by a Micronesian candidate when his term ends in 2024
- The role will then be played in the three Pacific sub-regions: Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia.
Under the agreement, Micronesian leaders have abandoned their demand that the current Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Henry Puna, resign immediately, instead of allowing him to serve until 2024. .
In return, Mr Puna will be replaced by a Micronese candidate when his term ends.
After that, the role will be played in the three Pacific sub-regions – Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia – in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the dispute that almost saw the Micronesian countries leave the forum.
The agreement was signed by several top Pacific leaders after a crucial face-to-face meeting today in Suva.
The talks were attended by current PIF President and Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and three Micronesian leaders.
Under the agreement, Henry Puna will serve his full term until 2024. (AFP: Marty Melville)
The deal is yet to be approved at a meeting of leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum in Suva next month, but most observers expect it to be a formality.
The President of the Federated States of Micronesia, David Paneulo, said the agreement meant that a “big dark cloud over the Pacific” had now “evaporated”.
“Just a few days ago, it could have been that we left and broke up the whole Pacific family, but the common ground we came to has kept us together,” he said.
Palace President Surangel Whipps, who led the order for Micronesia to withdraw from the forum after his candidate for secretary general was defeated in a tight leadership vote, said he and his fellow regional leaders were willing to reach an agreement that would allow PIF to be maintained. whole.
“I think the most important outcome is the unity of the Pacific,” he said.
“The meetings of today and the last few days have been like reconciling our differences, like moving forward in a way that unites the Pacific. And I think that’s when it’s been achieved.”
New positions, offices to be created for greater representation in Micronesia
Whipps also confirmed that the nations of Micronesia no longer insisted that Puna resign and be replaced immediately by one of his candidates.
“At the end of the day, we think it was Micronesia’s turn to have a secretary general. But now we will respect that there is one person now,” he said.
The President of the Federated States of Micronesia, David Paneulo, said that the “great dark cloud that hovers over the Pacific” had “evaporated”. (Provided by: Government of the Federated States of Micronesia)
“But at the end of his term, a micronesian is sure to come in. And that can’t be changed anymore because we’ve now agreed that he will continue to rotate around the islands.”
The agreement would also create a new architecture within the Pacific Islands Forum to ensure greater representation of Micronesia.
A new subregional Pacific Islands Forum office would be established in a Micronesian nation, while the post of Pacific Ocean Commissioner — currently held by the Secretary-General — would also move to Micronesia as a stand-alone role.
The agreement will also create two new Deputy Secretary-General posts, which will be shared by the two sub-regions that do not currently hold the post of Principal Secretary-General.
The cost of some of these new agreements is likely to be borne by Australia and New Zealand.
Both Canberra and Wellington were concerned about the prospect of the forum split, especially as China intensifies efforts to reach a new regional agreement with the Pacific Island nations, and will be relieved to see the agreement.
Australia helped facilitate the meeting in Suva by flying Micronesian leaders to Suva on a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) plane, and Australian diplomats and ministers have urged Pacific Island officials and leaders to reach a consensus to allow the PIF to stay together.
While the deal will be seen as a major victory for Mr Bainimarama, who was instrumental in bringing leaders together for face-to-face talks, some Pacific Islanders have also given credit to Australia for encouraging reconciliation and provide logistical support to ensure it was landed. .
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Posted 1 hour ago 1 hourTuesday, June 7, 2022 at 10:54 AM, updated 29 m ago, 29 minutes ago, Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at 12:02 PM