2 Aug 2010

The Fiji situation, trade and security key issues at Forum summit

1:49 pm on 2 August 2010

Officials from throughout the region are converging on Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila, for this year's Pacific Islands Forum Leaders summit.

Johnny Blades reports that the Forum Secretariat has revealed what's on the agenda for formal discussion at the 41st Leaders meeting.

"Priority issues include trade negotiations, updates from the Ministerial action Group on Fiji, and cessation of a regional assistance package for Nauru. The leaders are also expected to take a close look at growing regional security threats as outlined in the 2010 Pacific Transnational Crimes Assessment Report. And the Forum's Secretary General, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, says that leaders will look"

at how vulnerable island states can access more climate change-related funds. He has indicated that heading into the UN Climate summit later this year, the Forum will try and forge a more unified approach on carbon emission targets than it had last year at Copenhagen when the Forum chair Australia was at odds with island countries in its approach.