PORT MORESBY – 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 outcomes from the Port Moresby meeting.

But Hayward-Jones told Radio New Zealand’s Pacific Beat the Pacific Islands Forum meeting will still look at improving the concept of regionalism.

“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.”

DATELINE PACIFIC: One way that they have thought about doing that is they have created a subcommittee on regionalism and that body 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. Are those areas that you expected to be on the list and are there any maybe that you are surprised that aren’t?

“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.”

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

“ I think it is a very interesting time. We are seeing Fiji’s Prime Minister Bainimarama hosting the Pacific Islands Development Forum this week and seven Pacific island leaders have attended that forum’

“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 the PIDF as an important meeting that influences Pacific islands opinion.

“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 as well.

“So if we have two common positions from the Pacific – one from the PIDF and one from the PIF – I think the rest of the world might be a little confused.

“But in terms of the PIF 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.”

DATELINE PACIFIC: Do you see these two bodies complementing each other?

“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 voice 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 then I think that will be a useful contribution to Forum discussion.”

DATELINE PACIFIC: You touched on the Suva Declaration on climate change. How much of it is a wily political move from Fiji?

“The timing is particularly interesting. I mean it is just a few days before the PIF meeting starts – so a declaration that comes out of the PIDF 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 the 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 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.”