SG 8th Oceania Customs Conference
SG 8th Oceania Customs Conference 16Mar06
16 Mar 2006 19:52:04 8th OCEANIA CUSTOMS ORGANISATION HEADS OF CUSTOMS CONFERENCE
Forum Secretariat, Suva, Fiji
16 March 2006
The Role and Function of the Pacific Islands Forum
ADDRESS BY MR GREG URWIN
SECRETARY GENERAL, FORUM SECRETARIAT
Mr Michel Danet, Secretary General of the World Customs Organisation; Mr Gaozhang Zhu, World Customs Organisation, Asia Pacific Region Vice-Chair; Mr Tevita Banuve, CEO, FIRCA and Chair of the Oceania Customs Organisation; Heads of Customs, Delegates, Representatives of International and Regional Organisations, Colleagues, welcome to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
2. This year clearly marks another milestone for the OCO, with the OCO Secretariat moving from New Caledonia to Suva; and the transfer of the chief executive role from Marc Janier to Bob Taylor. The Forum Secretariat's close relationship with the OCO began with its predecessor, the Customs Heads of Administration Regional Meeting, or, to give it its enchanting acronym, CHARM - when the Forum Secretariat helped to administer CHARM, before the establishment of a full time Secretariat in Brisbane in 1999.
3. This partnership has strengthened over the years with the OCO providing the Customs perspective at key meetings such as the Forum Regional Security Committee, and contributing towards the development of the Pacific Plan. More recently, the OCO has been actively involved in the regional Border Management Issues Working Group, with the OCO Secretariat hosting the first meeting of this Working Group in New Caledonia. The growth and maturity of the OCO, and the way in which it is contributing to the region's wider interests, has been reflected in it being a lead organisation in the implementation of the Regional Trade Facilitation Programme.
4. In short, the strong working relationship between the OCO, Pacific Immigration Directors' Conference, the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police and the Forum Secretariat has been something of a model to other sectors and will be vital in meeting the security goals of the Pacific Plan.
5. I have been asked to briefly outline the history of the Pacific Islands Forum, its Secretariat and the work that is undertaken by the organisation, a pretty dry topic, I must say for a lunchtime.
6. The Secretariat is located on what was part of the New Zealand Army Base during World War II. On the hilltop by the guardhouse where you enter, overlooking Suva Harbour, are the remains of two gun replacements. Fortunately, there has been no need to use them.
7. The Forum was established in August 1971 by seven Pacific Leaders, who chose to take a cooperative approach to the challenges that they shared, and who felt that the then existing vehicles the SPC in particular did not provide an adequate means for doing so. It was an expression of the coming of political independence in the Pacific, and it is that historical circumstance which has largely shaped it, and its activities. The Forum has since grown to 16 members, with four Observers, (at last year's Forum Leaders meeting a new category of Associate membership was agreed to). We have 13 Dialogue Partners and the average Forum Leaders' meeting now attracts in excess of 300 people, a mixed blessing in a number of ways. However, the founding principle has remained the same how best to develop Pacific Island nations by sharing experiences and working more closely with one another.
8. Each year, the Forum Leaders meet to examine common regional positions in respect of social, economic, political and development challenges, and to provide direction for the way forward. These are outlined in an annual Forum Communiqué, and form the basis of the work programme for the Forum Secretariat. I'll say a little about the kind of work we do, especially that work which has a connection with the OCO.
9. At the international level, presenting a united front on critical issues gives Pacific nations a much higher profile than if the individual members try to go it alone. I think the success we have had in this is worth remarking on, especially when one acknowledges the diverse background of the Forum ,about half the Forum members have populations of 100,000 people or less. And while three members ( Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea ) can count their populations in the millions, at the other end of the scale is Niue with just over 1,000 people, or Nauru and Tuvalu with about 10,000 each.
10. At its first meeting in 1971, one of the items on the agenda was eventual trade integration. The most ambitious move towards this goal took place in 2001 when Forum members signed the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) and the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA). Both have since been ratified and have entered into force. Negotiations have also opened for a regional economic partnership agreement with the European Union.
11. The PICTA is based initially on trade in goods and will later, we hope be expanded to include trade in services. This second feature is especially attractive to smaller island states that, typically, have limited trading options. Looking at it at its widest, for professional and skilled workers from smaller states, the eventual opening up of trade in services should lead to more work opportunities in a common market of eight million people, as opposed to those available in often tiny domestic markets.
12. For the Oceania Customs Organisation, the PICTA and related initiatives will impact greatly on your work programme. And I must say we are very pleased to see OCO taking a proactive role in engaging with Forum members on those aspects of the Pacific Plan that require expert advice on customs-related issues. A gradual shift towards a common market will require close cooperation between organisations such as the OCO and Forum member states as they seek to standardise the diverse platform of national customs regulations and procedures. This is likely to continue in a series of small steps, aimed at building confidence at national level to buy into a regional initiative, and sharing the cost of change. Ultimately, we seek a free trade area among Forum Island Countries that promotes flexible trade and investment guidelines, while still addressing the need by customs agencies for robust and reliable border controls. That is going to give us a better shot at making the kinds of arrangements we need to make with the wider world.
13. The same cooperative approach which characterises OCO has been used successfully by Forum members in various other sectors. For example, a regional approach in the fisheries sector led to the establishment in 1977 of the Forum Fisheries Agency, which helps to coordinate the management of our fisheries resource in most Pacific states. The fisheries sector is our biggest natural asset, being second only to human resources. Half the world's tuna comes from our region and, in an era when some of the worlds fishing zones have been depleted, this places a greater responsibility on us to sustainably manage our fisheries.
14. The Forum also works closely on economic reform initiatives, mainly through the annual Forum Economic Ministers Meeting, or FEMM. The 1997 FEMM Principles of Accountability emphasise the need for proper accounting of public funds and public assets. This is linked to regional initiatives aimed at promoting better governance in the public and private sector, as well as civil society. Two years ago, Forum leaders adopted 9 principles of good leadership, as part of their ongoing focus on improving the quality of governance in member countries. There is an ongoing programme to adapt and adopt these leadership principles at national level.
15. An extensive regional law enforcement programme has evolved over the years at the regional level grounded in the 1992 Honiara Declaration on law enforcement cooperation; the 1997 Aitutaki Declaration on regional security cooperation; and the 2002 Nasonini Declaration on regional security, and some of you will be acquainted with that.
16. The Forum's willingness to tackle sensitive issues in our backyard is also a feature of our changing perceptions about regionalism. In 2000, the Forum adopted the landmark Biketawa Declaration which contains guiding principles and provides measures for a regional response to help a Forum member, in need of assistance. Under the auspices of the Biketawa, the Forum has undertaken the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), and the Pacific Regional Assistance to Nauru, or PRAN.
17. Forum legislatures are cooperating through the Forum Presiding Officers Conference (FPOC), made up of Speakers of Parliament or Congress, which is exploring the very early stages of a Forum Parliamentary Assembly , their next meeting is in a few months where they will seek to take this broad-ranging notion forward. The third branch of governance (the judiciary ) is already cooperating regionally through the Pacific Judicial Conference; Chief Justices' Forum; and the Pacific Judicial Education Programme; for example.
18. The Forum Secretariat itself is part of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP). Apart from the Forum, these include the Fiji School of Medicine; Forum Fisheries Agency; Pacific Islands Development Programme; the Secretariat of the Pacific Community; South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment; South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission; Pacific Regional Environment Programme; South Pacific Tourism Organisation and the University of the South Pacific. The chief executives of the CROP agencies meet regularly to explore joint programming, and to avoid duplication of effort.
19. So we have built up an extensive network. The real issue now is to ensure that it is operating effectively in the member countries' interests. In 2005, the Forum commissioned a study to examine the most appropriate institutional framework to guide the region into the future, based on the anticipated future needs of members and key stakeholders. This study is currently being examined by member countries and other stakeholders, with a report to go before Forum Leaders at their next meeting, later this year in Tonga. There are, as you might imagine, a range of views on an issue as large as this and a range of interests to be accommodated. But if we are really to move on with regional integration, we have to tackle them in a concerted way.
20. This effort is also very much part of what we have come to know as the Pacific Plan. In April 2004, Forum Leaders discussed a review of the Forum by an Eminent Person's Group, the first review of the Forum since it was established. The Leaders agreed on a new vision for the region, one aimed at creating the conditions in which Pacific people could lead, in the Leaders' words, free and worthwhile lives. To help in achieving this aim, the Leaders called for the development of a Pacific Plan to strengthen regional cooperation, to find out where the region could gain by pooling of resources of governance and the aligning of our policies.
21. In 2005, there was an extensive round of consultations - another first for the Forum - which we expect will continue for years to come. The Pacific Plan was endorsed by Forum Leaders at their annual meeting in PNG in October 2005 with the issue of the Kalibobo Roadmap Statement on the Pacific Plan highlighting the significance of the Plan, its key priorities and implementation requirements. As part of an ongoing consultation to ensure the Pacific Plan remains relevant to the needs of the region, the Forum continues to welcome suggestions from OCO and other stakeholders on the way forward.
22. The regional initiatives identified in the Pacific Plan fall under the four broad goals of Economic Growth, Sustainable Development, Good Governance and Security. They are also divided into three categories - matters capable of immediate implementation over the first three years, matters which are agreed in principle but which require more developing, and a third category which requires further analysis.
23. Initiatives identified for immediate implementation under Security - and which are of particular relevance to you - are implementing the Pacific Islands Regional Security Technical Cooperation Strategy focusing on border security and transnational crime; and strengthening law enforcement training, coordination and attachments. There are also specific initiatives that you will have a lead role or interest in, such as the Trade Facilitation Programme and regional statistics and data bases.
24. I hope I have been able to give you a somewhat wider view than you may have had of the work undertaken by the Forum and its Secretariat, and our script for the next few years. That script is a very broad one; there are many aspects of it I've not even touched on; the work we are involved in the social sectors, sustainable development and trade policy beyond PICTA and PACER for example. It is, in brief, a fairly exciting time to be alive.
25. Before finishing, may I acknowledge the work, the very valuable work, of Mr Marc Janier as he concludes his services to the OCO with this annual Conference. It has been a pleasure working with you Marc, I hope you have enjoyed your time in the Pacific as much as we have enjoyed working with you. We wish you and Margaret well when you return to France, for whatever is next in your lives. Thank you
16 Mar 2006 19:52:04 8th OCEANIA CUSTOMS ORGANISATION HEADS OF CUSTOMS CONFERENCE
Forum Secretariat, Suva, Fiji
16 March 2006
The Role and Function of the Pacific Islands Forum
ADDRESS BY MR GREG URWIN
SECRETARY GENERAL, FORUM SECRETARIAT
Mr Michel Danet, Secretary General of the World Customs Organisation; Mr Gaozhang Zhu, World Customs Organisation, Asia Pacific Region Vice-Chair; Mr Tevita Banuve, CEO, FIRCA and Chair of the Oceania Customs Organisation; Heads of Customs, Delegates, Representatives of International and Regional Organisations, Colleagues, welcome to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
2. This year clearly marks another milestone for the OCO, with the OCO Secretariat moving from New Caledonia to Suva; and the transfer of the chief executive role from Marc Janier to Bob Taylor. The Forum Secretariat's close relationship with the OCO began with its predecessor, the Customs Heads of Administration Regional Meeting, or, to give it its enchanting acronym, CHARM - when the Forum Secretariat helped to administer CHARM, before the establishment of a full time Secretariat in Brisbane in 1999.
3. This partnership has strengthened over the years with the OCO providing the Customs perspective at key meetings such as the Forum Regional Security Committee, and contributing towards the development of the Pacific Plan. More recently, the OCO has been actively involved in the regional Border Management Issues Working Group, with the OCO Secretariat hosting the first meeting of this Working Group in New Caledonia. The growth and maturity of the OCO, and the way in which it is contributing to the region's wider interests, has been reflected in it being a lead organisation in the implementation of the Regional Trade Facilitation Programme.
4. In short, the strong working relationship between the OCO, Pacific Immigration Directors' Conference, the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police and the Forum Secretariat has been something of a model to other sectors and will be vital in meeting the security goals of the Pacific Plan.
5. I have been asked to briefly outline the history of the Pacific Islands Forum, its Secretariat and the work that is undertaken by the organisation, a pretty dry topic, I must say for a lunchtime.
6. The Secretariat is located on what was part of the New Zealand Army Base during World War II. On the hilltop by the guardhouse where you enter, overlooking Suva Harbour, are the remains of two gun replacements. Fortunately, there has been no need to use them.
7. The Forum was established in August 1971 by seven Pacific Leaders, who chose to take a cooperative approach to the challenges that they shared, and who felt that the then existing vehicles the SPC in particular did not provide an adequate means for doing so. It was an expression of the coming of political independence in the Pacific, and it is that historical circumstance which has largely shaped it, and its activities. The Forum has since grown to 16 members, with four Observers, (at last year's Forum Leaders meeting a new category of Associate membership was agreed to). We have 13 Dialogue Partners and the average Forum Leaders' meeting now attracts in excess of 300 people, a mixed blessing in a number of ways. However, the founding principle has remained the same how best to develop Pacific Island nations by sharing experiences and working more closely with one another.
8. Each year, the Forum Leaders meet to examine common regional positions in respect of social, economic, political and development challenges, and to provide direction for the way forward. These are outlined in an annual Forum Communiqué, and form the basis of the work programme for the Forum Secretariat. I'll say a little about the kind of work we do, especially that work which has a connection with the OCO.
9. At the international level, presenting a united front on critical issues gives Pacific nations a much higher profile than if the individual members try to go it alone. I think the success we have had in this is worth remarking on, especially when one acknowledges the diverse background of the Forum ,about half the Forum members have populations of 100,000 people or less. And while three members ( Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea ) can count their populations in the millions, at the other end of the scale is Niue with just over 1,000 people, or Nauru and Tuvalu with about 10,000 each.
10. At its first meeting in 1971, one of the items on the agenda was eventual trade integration. The most ambitious move towards this goal took place in 2001 when Forum members signed the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) and the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA). Both have since been ratified and have entered into force. Negotiations have also opened for a regional economic partnership agreement with the European Union.
11. The PICTA is based initially on trade in goods and will later, we hope be expanded to include trade in services. This second feature is especially attractive to smaller island states that, typically, have limited trading options. Looking at it at its widest, for professional and skilled workers from smaller states, the eventual opening up of trade in services should lead to more work opportunities in a common market of eight million people, as opposed to those available in often tiny domestic markets.
12. For the Oceania Customs Organisation, the PICTA and related initiatives will impact greatly on your work programme. And I must say we are very pleased to see OCO taking a proactive role in engaging with Forum members on those aspects of the Pacific Plan that require expert advice on customs-related issues. A gradual shift towards a common market will require close cooperation between organisations such as the OCO and Forum member states as they seek to standardise the diverse platform of national customs regulations and procedures. This is likely to continue in a series of small steps, aimed at building confidence at national level to buy into a regional initiative, and sharing the cost of change. Ultimately, we seek a free trade area among Forum Island Countries that promotes flexible trade and investment guidelines, while still addressing the need by customs agencies for robust and reliable border controls. That is going to give us a better shot at making the kinds of arrangements we need to make with the wider world.
13. The same cooperative approach which characterises OCO has been used successfully by Forum members in various other sectors. For example, a regional approach in the fisheries sector led to the establishment in 1977 of the Forum Fisheries Agency, which helps to coordinate the management of our fisheries resource in most Pacific states. The fisheries sector is our biggest natural asset, being second only to human resources. Half the world's tuna comes from our region and, in an era when some of the worlds fishing zones have been depleted, this places a greater responsibility on us to sustainably manage our fisheries.
14. The Forum also works closely on economic reform initiatives, mainly through the annual Forum Economic Ministers Meeting, or FEMM. The 1997 FEMM Principles of Accountability emphasise the need for proper accounting of public funds and public assets. This is linked to regional initiatives aimed at promoting better governance in the public and private sector, as well as civil society. Two years ago, Forum leaders adopted 9 principles of good leadership, as part of their ongoing focus on improving the quality of governance in member countries. There is an ongoing programme to adapt and adopt these leadership principles at national level.
15. An extensive regional law enforcement programme has evolved over the years at the regional level grounded in the 1992 Honiara Declaration on law enforcement cooperation; the 1997 Aitutaki Declaration on regional security cooperation; and the 2002 Nasonini Declaration on regional security, and some of you will be acquainted with that.
16. The Forum's willingness to tackle sensitive issues in our backyard is also a feature of our changing perceptions about regionalism. In 2000, the Forum adopted the landmark Biketawa Declaration which contains guiding principles and provides measures for a regional response to help a Forum member, in need of assistance. Under the auspices of the Biketawa, the Forum has undertaken the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), and the Pacific Regional Assistance to Nauru, or PRAN.
17. Forum legislatures are cooperating through the Forum Presiding Officers Conference (FPOC), made up of Speakers of Parliament or Congress, which is exploring the very early stages of a Forum Parliamentary Assembly , their next meeting is in a few months where they will seek to take this broad-ranging notion forward. The third branch of governance (the judiciary ) is already cooperating regionally through the Pacific Judicial Conference; Chief Justices' Forum; and the Pacific Judicial Education Programme; for example.
18. The Forum Secretariat itself is part of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP). Apart from the Forum, these include the Fiji School of Medicine; Forum Fisheries Agency; Pacific Islands Development Programme; the Secretariat of the Pacific Community; South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment; South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission; Pacific Regional Environment Programme; South Pacific Tourism Organisation and the University of the South Pacific. The chief executives of the CROP agencies meet regularly to explore joint programming, and to avoid duplication of effort.
19. So we have built up an extensive network. The real issue now is to ensure that it is operating effectively in the member countries' interests. In 2005, the Forum commissioned a study to examine the most appropriate institutional framework to guide the region into the future, based on the anticipated future needs of members and key stakeholders. This study is currently being examined by member countries and other stakeholders, with a report to go before Forum Leaders at their next meeting, later this year in Tonga. There are, as you might imagine, a range of views on an issue as large as this and a range of interests to be accommodated. But if we are really to move on with regional integration, we have to tackle them in a concerted way.
20. This effort is also very much part of what we have come to know as the Pacific Plan. In April 2004, Forum Leaders discussed a review of the Forum by an Eminent Person's Group, the first review of the Forum since it was established. The Leaders agreed on a new vision for the region, one aimed at creating the conditions in which Pacific people could lead, in the Leaders' words, free and worthwhile lives. To help in achieving this aim, the Leaders called for the development of a Pacific Plan to strengthen regional cooperation, to find out where the region could gain by pooling of resources of governance and the aligning of our policies.
21. In 2005, there was an extensive round of consultations - another first for the Forum - which we expect will continue for years to come. The Pacific Plan was endorsed by Forum Leaders at their annual meeting in PNG in October 2005 with the issue of the Kalibobo Roadmap Statement on the Pacific Plan highlighting the significance of the Plan, its key priorities and implementation requirements. As part of an ongoing consultation to ensure the Pacific Plan remains relevant to the needs of the region, the Forum continues to welcome suggestions from OCO and other stakeholders on the way forward.
22. The regional initiatives identified in the Pacific Plan fall under the four broad goals of Economic Growth, Sustainable Development, Good Governance and Security. They are also divided into three categories - matters capable of immediate implementation over the first three years, matters which are agreed in principle but which require more developing, and a third category which requires further analysis.
23. Initiatives identified for immediate implementation under Security - and which are of particular relevance to you - are implementing the Pacific Islands Regional Security Technical Cooperation Strategy focusing on border security and transnational crime; and strengthening law enforcement training, coordination and attachments. There are also specific initiatives that you will have a lead role or interest in, such as the Trade Facilitation Programme and regional statistics and data bases.
24. I hope I have been able to give you a somewhat wider view than you may have had of the work undertaken by the Forum and its Secretariat, and our script for the next few years. That script is a very broad one; there are many aspects of it I've not even touched on; the work we are involved in the social sectors, sustainable development and trade policy beyond PICTA and PACER for example. It is, in brief, a fairly exciting time to be alive.
25. Before finishing, may I acknowledge the work, the very valuable work, of Mr Marc Janier as he concludes his services to the OCO with this annual Conference. It has been a pleasure working with you Marc, I hope you have enjoyed your time in the Pacific as much as we have enjoyed working with you. We wish you and Margaret well when you return to France, for whatever is next in your lives. Thank you
