PIDF looks to set tone for Forum meeting in Port Moresby.

Transcript

Leaders from the Pacific Islands Forum countries meet in Port Moresby next week to address regional concerns and issues but they may have been beaten to the punch.

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, who is not attending over objections regarding the part New Zealand and Australia play, hosted the burgeoning Pacific Islands Development Forum this week.

The Lowy Institute's Jenny Hayward-Jones says the meeting has made some strong political statements which may affect the Port Moresby meeting.  

But Ms Hayward-Jones told Koro Vaka'uta the Pacific Islands Forum meeting will still look at improving the concept of regionalism.

JENNY HAYWARD-JONES: What has been lacking is political commitment in between Forum Leaders Meetings so I think there is a bit of frustration that although leaders agree to do this, all this regional cooperation, they don't act on it. The theme of this meeting is an effort to try and get them to try and focus on it a bit more and to agree on practical measures that they can all go away and do.

KORO VAKAUTA: One way that they have thought about doing that is they have created this subcommittee on regionalism and that body or committee has come up with five priority issues or areas. For the likes of ICT and cervical cancer, West Papua, climate change and disasters, fisheries as well as maritime surveillance that sort of thing. Are those areas that you expected to be on the list and are there any maybe that you are surprised that aren't?

JHJ: They reflect the issues that concern the people of the Pacific which is a good thing because sometimes these political leaders meetings can be sometimes distant from what the people themselves want their leaders to act on. So it is very positive that we are seeing those concerns probably reflect more closely what the people are thinking about. The issue of West Papua which is a very emotional one for many Melanesian countries in particular and for civil society in Melanesia which has been pushing hard for better recognition of the problems affecting West Papuans. And we have seen some action on that in the Melanesian Spearhead Group earlier this year and I think we will continue to see pressure from Melanesian populations in particular for more regional action on that or more regional advocacy globally for West Papuans, if not independence then at least human rights issues in West Papua. Fisheries and maritime surveillance is always something that has been on the agenda but again increasingly important in this day and age are facing more international challenges and more issues around transnational crime. And of course fisheries is a vital resource and they have to ensure that it is one that they can control. And so it is an issue that continues to concern all countries in the region. Climate change of course is a existential threat for some small Island countries and it will always be on the agenda for Pacific Island Forum leaders.

KV: The impact of Fiji, what impact will that have on this upcoming meeting next week?

JHJ: I think it is a very interesting time with Fiji's approach to the Forum of course we are seeing Prime Minister Bainimarama host the Pacific Islands Development Forum this week and seven Pacific Island leaders have attended that forum and he is trying very hard and possibly succeeding this time in painting that organisation as perhaps if not quite an alternative to the PIF its a forum in which Pacific Island countries can discuss their concerns without Australia and New Zealand using their guiding hand. So I think he is making an effort to set that up as an important meeting that influences Pacific Islands opinion and I think he has mentioned that he wants to see a declaration on Climate Change which would express a common approach from Pacific Island countries to take to the Paris negotiations so that might make it a bit difficult for the Pacific Islands Forum next week because I assume they will also be hoping to come up with a common position so if we have two common positions from the Pacific one from the development forum and one from the forum itself I think the rest of the world might be a little confused. But in terms of the meeting next week the Fiji Foreign minister is attending so Fiji at least will be represented and I am sure he is very capable of expressing Fiji's concerns its a shame that the Prime Minister is not going but at least Fiji is committed.

KV: You mentioned the Pacific Islands Development Forum, do you see these two bodies complementing each other?  What do you think?

JHJ: It depends on how it evolves over the next few years, I think they probably can complement each other if the politicians can agree. At the moment we haven't really seen that agreement, some leaders are very committed to making sure that the Pacific Islands Forum is their own voice in that forum is not diluted by having another organisation and particularly another meeting so close to the meeting of the Forum. But I think it can serve as a useful adjunct to forum activities and the message that Fiji has used to engage the private sector and to engage civil society if that continues to develop well then I think that will be a useful contribution to Forum discussion. But I think we will see Fiji continue to push that as it puts a lot of value in having that.

KV: You touched on the Suva declaration on climate change. How much of it does it seem to be a wily political move from Fiji because you mentioned having this declaration versus the forum.

JHJ: The timing is particularly interesting I mean it is just a few days before the forum starts so obviously a declaration that comes out of the development forum that says this is a common position from the Pacific Island countries most seriously affected by climate change is obviously making a very strong political statement that it is that forum which has produced a declaration that reflects the concerns of small island countries and of course next week Australia and New Zealand will be in the mix so it will be considerably more difficult I think to reach an agreement that satisfies everyone. We have seen here how Prime Minister Bainimarama is trying to get out in front and try and develop a strong voice for the small island states that isn't confused by Australia and New Zealand's position.