by Marie Kauna – EMTV Online, Port Moresby
Image Source: Radio New Zealand
In 2015, leaders from the Pacific Island Region met with the Japanese government for the Pacific Island Leaders Meeting, a forum which was established in 1997 between the Japanese government and the Pacific Island Leaders.
During this meet in 2015, the leaders agreed to enhance their cooperation with more focus on seven main areas. These areas of focus included (1) disaster risk reduction; (2) climate change; (3) environment; (4) people-to-people exchanges; (5) sustainable development (including human resource development); (6) oceans, maritime issues and fisheries; and (7) trade, investment and tourism.
Over the past two year, the forum ministers, together in partnership with the Japanese government, have been working along for the successful implementation of the PALM 7.
Last week, the forum ministers gathered in Tokyo, Japan, to discuss the region’s development partnership and climate change.
The meeting is the Third Ministerial Interim Meeting or MMI of the Pacific Island Leaders Meeting (PALM) and was hosted by Japan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fumio Kishida.
The meeting is said to have covered a review on the implementation of the PALM 7 and its outcome. Based on the assessment of the review, will allow discussions on PALM 8 in 2018 to begin.
The sixteen forum ministers include Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea.
