forum

The Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru and Palau announced in February last year that they would withdraw from the forum, after losing the vote to elect a new secretary-general.

At the time, they said say the rejection of their candidate, Marshall Islands' Gerald Zackios, had led to division within the Pacific. Forum members voted in favour of former Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna.

RNZ reports following last week's Forum leaders summit in Pohnpei, regional civil society groups have voiced disappointment at what they see as a lack of any outcome or substance on the issue of West Papua.

Papua had been one of the big regional issues identified by the Forum secretary-general Dame Meg Taylor as being on the leaders' agenda, ahead of the summit.

However in the end, leaders merely concluded that the issue of alleged human rights violations in West Papua should remain on their agenda.