Pacific Island Forum Leaders Family Photo 2023

Key Achievement And Highlight

  • Convening of the PIF Special Leaders’ Retreat in Nadi on 23-24 February 2023.
  •  This meeting was the first meeting of the Forum Leaders in 2023.
  • The main objectives of the Retreat was to:
    (i.) reaffirm the solidarity of the Pacific Islands Forum Family;
    (ii.) discuss the operationalization of the Suva Agreement; and
    (iii.) hand over the Forum Chair to the Cook Islands.
  •  A key highlight of the Retreat included the presentation of a “Matanigasau” to Forum Leaders as a token of peace, a commitment to forgive misgivings and move forward in unity.
  • As an outcome of the Retreat, Kiribati indicated their willingness to re-join the Forum family and sign the Suva Agreement and the related Denarau Addendum.
  • The Suva Agreement was finally endorsed by the full membership with the following achievements:

(i.) establishment of a new Sub-Regional Office for the Pacific Islands Forum in Kiribati;
(ii.) appointment of Dr. Filimon Manoni for the Republic of Marshall Islands to the position of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner;
(iii.) establishment of the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner in the Republic of Palau; and
(iv.) appointment of Mr. Baron Waqa of Nauru as the next Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum in 2024.

  • A number of bilateral meetings were also held on the margins of the PIF Special Leaders’ Retreat.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka with the President of Kiribati, His Excellency Taneti Maamau, following the official signing of the Suva Agreement by Kiribati.
Prime Minister Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka with Prime Minister of Cook Islands, Hon. Mark Brown and Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Mr Henry Puna.

Handing Over Of Pacific Islands Forum Chair To Cook Islands

  • At the conclusion of the Special PIF Leaders Retreat on 24th February 2023, the Prime Minister Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka handed over the chairmanship of the Forum to the Prime Minister of Cook Islands, Hon Mark Brown.
  •  Fiji had taken over the chairmanship of the Forum in August 2021.
  •  Fiji took a whole of government approach during its tenure as Chair with all the relevant government agencies participating in the chairing of the PIF Subcommittees.
  •  The main highlights of achievements accomplished by the Forum during Fiji’s tenure as Chair include:
    (i.) Endorsement of the 2050 Strategy for a Blue Pacific Continent;
    (ii.) Review of the Regional Architecture;
    (iii.) Resolving the political impasse with the Micronesians and bringing Kiribati back in to the Forum;
    (iv.) Endorsement of the Suva Agreement; and
    (v.) Successful hosing of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in 2022 – the first gathering of the Leaders post-COVID.
Prime Minister Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka handed over the chairmanship of the Pacific Islands Forum to the Prime Minister of Cook Islands, Hon Mark Brown.
Prime Minister Hon. Sitiveni Rabuka with Prime Minister of Cook Islands, Hon. Mark Brown and Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, Mr Henry Puna at the conclusion of the Special PIF Leaders Retreat in Nadi.

Bilateral Meeting In The Margins Of The Special PIF Leaders Retreat

There were 12 bilateral Meetings held at the margins of the Special PIF Leaders Retreat. The Hon. Prime Minister met with the Leaders of the following countries:

  1. Australia – Hon. Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs
  2.  Cook Islands – Hon. Mark Brown, Prime Minister
  3.  New Caledonia – His Excellency Louis Mapou, President
  4.  Vanuatu – Hon. Ishmael Alatoi Kalsakau, Prime Minister
  5.  Kiribati – His Excellency Tenati Maamau, President
  6.  Niue – His Excellency Dalton Tagelagi, Premiere
  7.  Republic of Marshall Islands – His Excellency David Kabua, President
  8. Tonga – Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni, Prime Minister
  9.  Tuvalu – Hon. Kausea Natano, Prime Minister
  10.  Samoa – Hon. Naomi Mata’afa, Prime Minister
  11.  New Zealand – Hon. Carmel Sepuloni, Deputy Prime Minister; and
  12.  Solomon Islands – Hon. Mannaseh Sogovare, Prime Minister.
  • The main outcomes from the bilateral meetings include”

(i.) Australia – Announcement of Australia’s budget support of $10m for Education and an additional $10m discussed during the bilateral meeting for direct budget support to Fiji. Launch of the Fiji Rugby Union 2023 Women’s Rugby. Conveyance of Prime Minister Albanese’s invitation to the Hon. Prime Minister to visit Australia as a guest of government.
(ii.) New Caledonia – Signing of the Joint Declaration of Intent for Development Cooperation

(iii.) New Zealand – conveyance of an invitation from the Prime Minister of New Zealand to the Honourable Prime Minister to visit New Zealand.
(iv.) Tonga – invitation from Hon. Prime Minister of Tonga to the Hon. Prime Minister to visit Tonga.
(v.) Samoa – Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for Development Cooperation

  • Common issues among the bilateral discussions included the proposed establishment of Development Cooperation Frameworks with countries in the region; Establishment and Review of Air Services Agreements; and on Visa and Permits processes for Pacific Island Countries.
  • A delegation from West Papua was also in Fiji during the week of the Special PIF Leaders Retreat and had a meeting with the Hon. Prime Minister where the Hon. Prime Minister expressed Fiji’s support towards West Papua’s request to join the MSG sub-regional grouping.