Senior Officials of the Polynesian Leaders Group (PLG) met in French Polynesia last week to advance discussions on formalising governance arrangements through the development of a PLG Charter.

This foundational document aims to establish the PLG’s structure, providing institutional direction to strengthen regional cooperation and support member states in addressing shared challenges and opportunities.

The officials highlighted the Charter’s importance in defining the PLG’s role as a central platform for collaboration in key areas, including cultural preservation, climate resilience, sustainable tourism, and inter-island connectivity in air and maritime transport, as well as health and education. This framework will guide PLG members, enabling resource sharing, best-practice exchange, and alignment with national and regional goals.

While the primary focus was on finalising the governance framework, the meeting underscored the need to continue advancing regional priorities with tangible national benefits. These include strengthening inter-island transport, promoting sustainable tourism, safeguarding cultural heritage, and enhancing digital connectivity and cybersecurity. Though not the immediate focus of the session, these initiatives remain central to the PLG’s long-term objectives.

“The Cook Islands has long recognised the value of stronger transport, commercial, cultural, health, education, and people-to-people links between Polynesian member countries. Various initiatives in recent years have brought significant benefits, providing foundations for further development through investment in a fit-for-purpose and economically viable governance framework for PLG,” said Foreign Secretary Tepaeru Herrmann. “These initiatives include improved air links between the Cook Islands and French Polynesia following significant re-engagement efforts on multiple fronts post-COVID and the Polynesian Health Corridors initiative partnership between certain Polynesian members and New Zealand, which makes health support from New Zealand accessible. There is scope for more, and our participation this week is to ensure the Cook Islands’ interests are part of the considerations in establishing the governance framework and institutional arrangements to implement the instructions of PLG Leaders.”

The Charter discussed this week will direct future efforts towards initiatives set by PLG leaders, such as improving connectivity across Polynesia and expanding digital competencies. It will provide a structured framework to prioritise initiatives, align and mobilise resources, and deepen cooperation among member states, enabling the PLG to address these pressing challenges and maximise opportunities for sustainable development.

A significant outcome of the meeting was the formal request for the SPC Polynesian Subregional Office to support the PLG Secretariat in delivering these shared priorities. SPC’s technical expertise, resources, and regional partnerships are vital to advancing these initiatives. As an extension of member governments, SPC can supplement the capabilities of the PLG and member governments by coordinating regional efforts, mobilising resources, and aligning regional support to meet national development goals. With SPC's support, the PLG is better positioned to achieve its vision of a prosperous and resilient Polynesian region. -MFAI