Forum Officials Committee Outcomes Oct05
NEW FORUM AGREEMENT OUTLINED
A new Agreement Establishing the Pacific Islands Forum will be considered for adoption by Forum Leaders when they meet in Papua New Guinea later this month, says Forum Secretary General, Greg Urwin. This follows a two-day meeting of the Forum Officials Committee, which is the governing body for the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. The new Agreement seeks to establish the Pacific Islands Forum for the first time as an intergovernmental organisation, Mr Urwin said, adding that the present Agreement only covers the Forum Secretariat. Accompanying the draft Agreement is a proposed new policy regarding Associate Membership (a new category) and Observer status (currently held by French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Timor Leste) in the Forum. The Forum Officials also considered a range of social, trade and economic issues, some of which will go to Leaders, while the authority to decide others has been delegated by Leaders to Ministerial and Officials level meetings. The Committee discussed the implications of a possible pandemic of bird flu, and agreed that planning at national level should take account of work by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and the World Health Organisation. Officials stressed the importance of continuing efforts to combat HIV/AIDS. They were also briefed on a proposed Pacific Health Fund, that would focus on priority health issues in the region such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, bird flu, and non-communicable diseases. The work of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and the Pacific Regional Assistance to Nauru (PRAN) was acknowledged, and members and development partners have been encouraged to maintain strong support for these initiatives, Mr Urwin said. The Committee noted the decision by Forum Trade Ministers to move to a more comprehensive framework for trade and economic relations between Australia, New Zealand, and the Forum Island Countries, as provided for under the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER). Trade officials will consider a study of the potential impacts of moving towards such a framework, before making recommendations to Forum Trade Ministers in 2006. The Committee will also seek endorsement by Leaders of a Draft Pacific Regional Framework for Action for Building the Resilience of Nations and Communities to Disasters. Regional agencies have undertaken to strengthen joint programming of activities in this and other areas. The New Zealand-administered territory of Tokelau will be welcomed to Observer status at the Forum. In addition, Tokelau intends to apply to accede to the Cotonou Agreement, which governs an aid and trade arrangement between African, Caribbean and Pacific states and the European Union. The 14 Forum Island Countries are also Pacific ACP states. Forum Secretariat, Suva 5 October 2005 |
2005