For almost five decades, Pacific Island countries have worked together to address common interests through Pacific regionalism. The Framework for Pacific Regionalism reinforces the commitment of Forum Leaders to work together to ensure the security, harmony and prosperity of our Pacific region.

During their meeting in September 2017 in Samoa, Pacific Islands Forum Leaders deepened this commitment by endorsing The Blue Pacific as a new narrative for collective political action in the Pacific that calls for working together as one Blue Continent. The Blue Pacific aims to harness our shared ocean identity, geography and resources to focus policy development that will drive positive change in the Pacific’s socio-cultural, political and economic development.

Developing Inclusive Regional Policy

The Pacific Islands Forum is committed to a regional policy agenda that is inclusive, transparent and owned by all Pacific people. The Forum Secretariat conducts an annual process of Pacific wide consultations with stakeholders to inform policy development.

The Secretariat regularly engages in policy consultation via meetings, in-country visits, online surveys, and forums.

All interested stakeholders are invited to contribute. If you have experience, ideas, or insights that you believe can inform a regional approach to any issue then the Forum Secretariat welcomes your participation.

Specialist Sub-Committee on Regionalism

The Forum Secretariat reviews and aggregates the information it receives, then identifies key themes and trends. CROP agency officials are likely to be called on to provide technical advice in areas that have emerged through the consultation that relate to their own fields of expertise, as part of this process.

Following the consolidation of information received, the Forum Secretariat develops policy recommendations, based on the State of Pacific Regionalism Report and in the context of existing regional policy priorities.

The Specialist Sub-Committee on Regionalism will convene in May 2018 to support the prioritisation of regional policy options for Forum Leaders’ consideration.

Once developed, the report on regional policy priorities will be circulated to Forum Members for comment, and it will be tabled at key regional meetings, FEMM, FFMM, FOC, CRGA for additional commentary before it is forwarded to Forum Leaders for final consideration and endorsement at the meeting in Nauru, September 2018.

Review of the Framework for Pacific Regionalism

The Forum Secretariat is currently coordinating a light review of the Framework for Pacific Regionalism. The review is supported by a team of independent consultants, with oversight to be provided by the Forum Troika. Consultations as part of the review are being conducted with key stakeholders including Forum Members, CROP agencies, civil society organisations, private sector organisations, and development partners.
The review is conducted to:
1. Ensure that the arrangements and processes that have been put in place to support its delivery and implementation are aligned to the underlying principles of the Framework for Pacific Regionalism (see below); and
2. Ensure that the arrangements and processes put in place deliver on Members’ expectations for the Framework for Pacific Regionalism.
As part of the consultation process, civil society organisations are invited to provide feedback through an online questionnaire which can be downloaded here.
Please email completed questionnaires to info@forumsec.org
The deadline for the submissions of completed questionnaires is close of business 24 August, 2018.
For inquiries please contact Joel Nilon: joeln@forumsec.org