Pacific Islands Forum

This comes as Micronesian leaders this week announced their intention to withdraw their five countries from the premier regional body, after their candidate wasn't selected for the organisation's top job.

The presidents of Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands and Palau said that South Pacific countries dishonoured a "gentleman's agreement" to rotate the post evenly among sub-regions, and that it was Micronesia's turn.

The leaders of Nauru, Kiribati,The Marshall Islands, Palau and The Federated States of Micronesia today signed off on a communique agreeing to initiate the formal process of withdrawing from the Pacific Islands Forum.

The five countries are deeply disappointed with the process which led to the appointment of former Cook Islands prime Minister Henry Puna as the Forum's new secretary-general over Micronesia's candidate, Gerald Zackios during a marathon online meeting of Pacific leaders last week.

The presidents of Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands and Palau issued a joint statement, saying they will start the formal process of leaving the Forum.

The leaders collectively expressed disappointment with the appointment process, which overlooked the Micronesian candidate Gerald Zackios.

They 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 Henry Puna of the Cook Islands.

They say the rejection of Marshall Islands' Gerald Zackios has led to division within the Pacific. PIF members voted in favour of former Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna.

The Chair of the Micronesian Presidents' Summit, Lionel Aingimea of Nauru, has scheduled Monday's virtual meeting.

It follows last October's 'Mekreos Communique' where presidents of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru and Palau insisted the Forum honour an unwritten gentleman's agreement to rotate the secretary general role by sub-region.

Republic president Surangel Whipps Jr said the move was over the decision by other Pacific leaders to ignore Micronesia's request for their candidate to take up the role of secretary general of the forum.

For months, the regional body has been divided over whose candidate should get the forum's top job.

Former Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna was appointed secretary general on Thursday, pipping Marshall Islands' diplomat Gerald Zackios by just one vote.

A statement from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat says Leaders are expected to focus on two main agenda items -  the current COVID-19 situation in the Pacific, its impact on the region to date and access to safe and secure vaccines, and secondly, the appointment of the next Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum.

"The successor to incumbent Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor was to have been appointed last year. This was delayed due to the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, said the statement.

With hours of his taking the oath as the 46th US President, Joe Biden issued an executive order for the US to return to the Paris Agreement.

Forum Chair Kausea Natano, who is Tuvalu's prime minister, said that the US order was a priority was warmly appreciated in the Pacific

Natano said he looked forward to continued and strengthened relationships between the people of the Pacific and the US, especially on the climate crisis facing the 'Blue Pacific'.

Natano is also calling on countries with candidates to work together to resolve the row over the top job at the Forum Secretariat.

The Tuvalu Prime Minister said there are options available to help members address the issue.

Papua New Guinea's Dame Meg Taylor ends her six-year tenure at the helm of the Secretariat in January.

The leaders meet next month to decide Dame Meg's successor.

In line with the Forum Leaders decisions in Tuvalu in 2019, the Forum Chair has this week written to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Her Excellency Michelle Bachelet, requesting an update on the consultations with the Government of Indonesia concerning the invitation for a mission to West Papua (Papua).

This vital Forum initiative ensures the passage of humanitarian and medical supplies within the Pacific as we work together to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Simon Kofe, Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers, welcomed the initiative and said: “Australia’s support will ensure that the Pacific Humanitarian Pathway will be able to deliver much needed humanitarian and medical supplies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through its actions, Australia is working to achieve values of familial ties and care for neighbour’s key throughout the Pacific.”