Forum Foreign Affairs Ministers will hear from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna, for the first time in their annual ministerial meet, the FFMM. The 2021 FFMM will be chaired by Tuvalu’s Minister of Justice, Communications, and Foreign Affairs, Simon Kofe.
The agenda will lead with the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic, the Blue Pacific response, and regional recovery including the Pacific Humanitarian Pathway on COVID-19 (PHP-C). Ministers will also be likely to discuss current policies for strengthening collective recovery including the distribution of vaccines, vaccine certificates, and their implications on travel across the region.
The ministerial continues on-going high-level events for Secretary-General Henry Puna, who is now in Suva. Like recent Forum Ministerial meets for Finance, Economic and Trade, the Foreign Ministers will be presented with insights from the COVID Economic Recovery Taskforce, and ta Pacific Social and Economic Impact Assessment Report.
Momentum towards COP26 as well as progress on preserving maritime zones in the face of rising sea levels due to climate change, and Pacific progress on Japan’s plans to release treated Fukushima water into the ocean, are also on a proposed agenda for Ministers. The Forum Foreign Ministerial meeting will also welcome the Forum’s dialogue and development partners, and other Observers, including regional Pacific organizations – the University of the South Pacific, the regional Environment Program, the Pacific Community, Forum Fisheries, South Pacific Tourism Organisation, and the Pacific Aviation and Safety Office.
