The 51st Pacific Islands Forum Leaders virtual meeting convened Friday under the theme ‘Security and Prosperity in Unity: 50 years of the Pacific Islands Forum’, 6 August.
The meeting coincides with the 50th Anniversary of the Pacific Islands Forum. Nauru is a founding member of the Forum, along with six others - Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Tonga and Western Samoa – now Samoa.
Nauru’s President, Lionel Aingimea, and chair of the Micronesian Presidents' Summit (MPS), attended the meeting as a representative of the Micronesia leaders, who standing on the principles of the Mekreos Communique, are not attending the retreat.
The Mekreos Communique articulates that if the long-standing Gentlemen’s Agreement is not honoured, then the Micronesian Presidents see no benefit in remaining with PIF.
The Micronesian sub-regional group consisting of Nauru, the Republic of Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Palau, commenced denunciation from the PIF in February 2021.
At the meeting leaders discussed priority immediate issues such as COVID-19 recovery efforts, update on the Political dialogue mechanism, and consider a draft Declaration on preserving maritime zones in the face of sea-level rise related to climate change;
The annual Forum meetings are chaired by the Head of Government of the host country, who remains as Forum Chair until the next meeting.
Formalities included Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano handing over as Forum Chair to host leader of the 51st Pacific Islands Forum, Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
Nauru last hosted the Forum in 2018.
Photo supplied GIO