Ambassador of France to the Pacific Véronique Roger-Lacan with PIF secretary-general Baron Waqa at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in April 2025. Photo: X / @ForumSEC
France's top diplomat in the region has expressed "frustration" over the Pacific Islands Forum's (PIF) decision to exclude dialogue partners - who make a "significant" contribution - from the annual leaders' summit in Honiara next week.
Véronique Roger-Lacan told RNZ Pacific that it is in France's interest to foster regional cooperation.
She said the investment of the PIF dialogue partners in the Pacific is significant, as they contribute to the implementation of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
According to the PIF Secretariat's 2024 Consolidated Financial Statements, donor contributions exceeded $50 million, which is over six times greater than funding contributions made by the Forum member states themselves.
"We really are very much invested in the Pacific in many regards... so partnership with the Pacific is very important for many of us [among the] 21 dialogue partners."
Last month, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele announced that the 21 Forum dialogue partners - including China, France, the United States and the United Kingdom - would be excluded from the gathering.
Manele said the move allowed PIF member states to focus on reforms aimed at improving their partnership and engagement mechanism with donor nations, and dismissed reports that the decision was motivated by his administration's intention to block Taiwan - a "development partner" - from the meeting.
Roger-Lacan said that not allowing the donor partners to meet with the leaders "is an issue".
"It's a rendezvous which is very important... to meet with the [Pacific] leaders each year. Without that rendezvous, it's not the same. It will take two years before we can catch up."
The French ambassador said that Paris pledged €2 million to the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) during the 6th Pacific-France Summit in June. This was among the issues France would have discussed with leaders in Honiara, she said.
She added that France was also interestd in being part discussions regarding the PIF regional architecture review - a key item on the leaders' agenda - as the host of the Pacific Community (SPC).
"Whatever will be discussed on the regional architecture has an impact on organisations to which [France is a] full-fledged member. It's not that it's a discussion that has nothing to do with us, and in fact, this discussion is going to take place without us, so it's a problem."
"We expect to be part of the strategic discussions [at the] PIF."
France respects PIF decision - but will others follow suit?
Roger-Lacan confirmed that the French delegation to the PIF had cancelled its flights and accommodation reservations in Honiara to respect the decision by the Forum.
"Yes, we are disappointed [that we cannot be part of the meeting], but we fully respect this decision."
However, she said that if France finds any donor countries attending the leaders' summit despite the decision to block external partners, Paris "will [express] strong disagreement".
"There were some rumors spread in the press that there are some countries who have some embassies in Honiara who would hold some sidelines meetings or something.
"If this is the case, we hope there will be some reaction by the PIF," she added.
The 54th PIF Leaders' Summit begins on Monday.
