US, China, Australia and New Zealand pledge millions; defections mar proceedings
Venkat Raman in Suva, Fiji
July 12, 2022
Although three countries of the 18-member Pacific Islands Forum have withdrawn from the 51st Summit currently underway in the Fijian capital of Suva, the regional assembly promises to be the single most significant event in the Pacific to tackle Climate Change.
US Vice-President Kamala Harris is due to address the conference virtually tomorrow while the Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia, respectively Jacinda Ardern and Anthony Albanese are here to lead their countries at the Summit and discuss bilateral issues with the leaders of other countries.
They are being supported by their respective foreign minister Nanaia Mahuta and Penny Wong.
Ms Ardern said that Climate Change has been the topic of discussion at every meeting of the PIF that she has attended since becoming Prime Minister in 2017.
As the host country, Fiji’s Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama is Chairing the Summit.
High-Risk Issue
“Climate Change represents a huge security issue. It is important for the overall security of our region and its resilience. Climate Change has been on top of the agenda at every PIF that I have attended. It is important for all of us in the South Pacific to move away from relying on fossil fuels. The rising prices have already made fuel unaffordable, but it also provides us with an opportunity to mitigate,” she said.
Ms Wong said that Australia has been consistent in its support of Climate Change and called upon the member countries to stay united.
“The most important thing is to ensure that at this time, in a contested world, in a world confronting Climate Change, Covid and economic recovery, the Forum should stand together,” she said.
Abstention and discard
Abstention and discards have somewhat marred the 51st session of the Forum, although optimism runs high among the participating nations.
Kiribati, a 33-islands country located halfway between Australia and Hawaii has left the Forum with its President Taneti Maamau saying that his country was unhappy with the process of selection of the Forum President.
“Kiribati has taken the sovereign decision to withdraw from the Pacific Islands Forum with immediate effect. This decision was not taken lightly,” he said in a statement to The Guardian, adding that the decision “was never meant to offend or be against any of our Pacific Island brothers and sisters.”
Since then, Nauru President Lionel Aingimea, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and Marshall Islands President David Kabua are also staying away from the Forum.
But there are some positive signs with large funding coming from major countries. The United States is announcing an infection of a whopping US$ 600 million into the Pacific Islands region over the next ten years, while New Zealand has already pledged $1.3 billion over the next few years.
Funding Climate Change initiatives
Today, Ms Ardern announced another $10 million to the Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees (CePact) Strategy, the only gene bank in the region conserving and making available crop and tree diversity of the Pacific.
“Climate change is a major threat to Pacific agriculture, putting our region’s food security at risk. This investment will increase the Pacific’s resilience by ensuring our region’s seeds and plant materials are preserved and protected for future generations. We are now seeing the knock-on effect of climate change with more extreme weather events like cyclones and droughts leading to outbreaks of pests and diseases that can be devastating for food production. Climate change and extreme weather are impacting crop yields and reducing supply which exacerbates food insecurity and increases food prices., she said, speaking at the Centre this afternoon.
PIF Director of Programmes Zarak Khan told Al Jazeera Television that the Forum is about taking control of economic sovereignty.
The 2050 Strategy
“The 2050 Strategy is our North Star. It is about securing our region’s prospects, people, and place. It is also about investing in scientific research, information technology, e-commerce, and education to realise the potential of our young population. We will do this by harnessing sustainable finance to build a knowledge economy to complement the blue economy,” he said.
The forum aims to break ground on a myriad of issues, ranging from climate change to security and connectivity, as part of its new vision for regional development – the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
(More to come)
