Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva. Photo: X / @ForumSEC
Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders are en route to the Solomon Islands for their annual meeting, which kicks off Monday.
So far, the lead-up has been marred by geopolitical tussles and threats of leaders not attending.
The PIF Leaders' Summit is when the 18 member states and territories, including New Zealand and Australia, discuss the big issues facing the region.
It is typically attended by over two dozen dialogue partners, including China, France, United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Taiwan.
However, this year's host, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, blocked all external partners from the event.
His reason: to give Pacific leaders space to focus on reviewing how the Forum engages with partners, as part of reforms under its Partnership and Engagement Mechanism.
Solomon Islands PM Jeremiah Manele Photo: Pacific Islands Forum
The issues on the table for consideration at the retreat - a leaders-only event held on the second to last day away from the action - include:
- Climate crisis
- Ocean of Peace proposal
- New Caledonia report
- Fukushima nuclear wastewater issues
- West Papua issue
- Pacific Resilience Facility
- Regional labour mobility
- Kava declaration
- Fiji's bid to host a Green Climate Fund office
- New Zealand's bid to host 2027 edition o PIF
- Tuna treaty negotiations with the US
In 2023, leaders travelled to Aitutaki in Cook Islands, while in 2024, they spent a day on the pristine waters of Vava'u in Tonga.
This year, the setting for the heart-to-heart leaders' conversation is Munda, in the Western Province of Solomon Islands.
Munda, a tourism hub, is home to the country's only other international airport which was co-funded by New Zealand, Australia and the Solomon Islands.
Guam’s Governor Lou Leon Guerrero has told RNZ Pacific: “I want to be a full member of PIF. That’s my goal.” Photo: RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis
Every Pacific leader to attend
Despite the leaders of Fiji and Tuvalu threatening not to go to the summit, Manele has confirmation that 17 out of 18 PIF leaders will attend.
"I'm happy to note that all Forum leaders will be attending the Honiara forum leaders meeting at the leaders level. Samoa, we understand, because of the elections... [will] be represented at the very senior officials' level," Manele told Pacific Waves on Thursday.
New Zealand dependent territory Tokelau, an associate member, has confirmed its Ulu-o-Tokelau or head of government national, will not be in Honiara due to "urgent consultations".
The Honiara Summit will be the first attended by Guam and American Samoa as PIF associate members.
Meetings on the side
As the final touches are put in place ahead of the start of the meeting, the attention also turns to who might engage unofficially on the sidelines.
Massey University's associate professor in security studies Anna Powles believes it is likely countries with diplomatic missions in the Solomon Islands - such as China, Japan, the UK and the US - will hold meetings on the sidelines of the PIF.
However, she does not think the other dialogue partners will hold such meetings.
"It's very unlikely that dialogue partners, such as Norway or Singapore, who do not have diplomatic representation in Honiara as they have not been invited," Powles said.
France has been a dialogue partner since 1989. Their delegation has cancelled flights and accommodation.
But France's ambassador to the Pacific Véronique Roger-Lacan expressed frustration at PIF's decision to exclude donors.
She told RNZ Pacific that if France finds that, despite the ban on external partners, some are attending the meeting, it will seek an explanation from PIF.
'Every man and his dog coming into the Pacific'
In May, Samoa's caretaker Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa told RNZ Pacific that the contest to get a seat even for a peripheral position within the PIF has been intense.
"Every man and his dog [is] coming into the Pacific," Fiame said at the time.
She pointed out the persistent "conflict between the collective and national interests" of PIF member states.
Despite this, Manele said this year's meeting serves as a message to the world that the Pacific stands united, with the theme of "Iumi Tugeda: Act Now for an Integrated Blue Pacific Continent".
Regional architecture review
A key initiative before the leaders this year is the Regional Architecture Review, which is expected to be endorsed in the Solomon Islands.
The much anticipated review is the leaders' response to increasing interest from a growing number of forum dialogue partners wanting a seat, and influence, at the regional decision-making table.
A former PIF insider, now Auckland University of Technology lecturer, Sione Tekiteki told RNZ Pacific that external powers had been pitting Pacific Islands Forum members against each other.
"The real tragedy lies in the fact that this so-called 'divisive issue' is neither of our making, nor particularly central to our own strategic or developmental priorities," Tekiteki said last month.
Manele has dismissed claims that blocking the countries was due to pressure from Beijing, which opposes Taiwan's presence at the event. He said it is a sovereign decision taken by Solomon Islands in the region's best interests, and not one coming from outsiders.
"We acknowledge public concerns and media narratives regarding forum matters, but let me be very clear, Solomon Islands is a sovereign nation," Manele said.
"Our government acts in the best interest of our people and the region, decisions related to the Pacific Islands Forum are made collectively by forum members through established processes grounded in the Pacific Way, emphasising respect dialogue and consensus."
