Visit to Vanuatu for the Pacific Islands Forum
Media release
1 August 2010
I will leave Australia on Tuesday to represent the Prime Minister at the 41st Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu, on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 August.
The Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan, will represent Australia at the 22nd Post-Forum Dialogue Partners’ Meeting on Friday 6 August.
The Prime Minister is unable to attend the PIF Leaders’ Meeting as a result of the calling of the 21 August election. The Prime Minister and I have previously indicated that Australia would be represented by a senior Minister and my participation in the meeting is consistent with the practice of successive Australian Governments.
Most recently, Mr Downer represented Prime Minister Howard at the October 2007 PIF Leaders’ Meeting, held during the 2007 Australian election campaign.
Australia places great importance on its ongoing close and friendly ties with Pacific countries and our participation in the Forum reflects that.
The Leaders’ Meeting marks the end of Australia’s year as Forum Chair and Australia has a responsibility to formally hand over to the next Chair, Vanuatu. On the Prime Minister’s behalf, I will hand over the Chair to the Prime Minister of Vanuatu, the Hon Edward Natapei.
It has been a privilege for Australia to Chair the Forum. We have worked hard to implement the full agenda agreed to by Leaders at the Cairns Forum in 2009.
The landmark Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination has renewed the focus of Pacific countries and their development partners on improving the lives of Pacific Islanders. Reporting under the Cairns Compact indicates that while more children are now in school in the Pacific, we need to do better on maternal and child health.
At the Cairns Forum, formal negotiations on a Pacific trade and economic integration agreement (PACER Plus) were launched. As well as encouraging trade, PACER Plus will help develop and enhance Pacific countries’ productive economic capacity.
Recently, as Chair, Australia has hosted two major Forum Ministerial meetings. In June this year, Energy Ministers agreed on a framework for action on energy security in the region. In July, Fisheries and Law Enforcement Ministers agreed to commence negotiations for a new regional agreement to protect fisheries, a key regional resource.
In the year ahead, Australia will work closely with Vanuatu and other Forum countries on the challenges facing the region.
At the Leaders’ Meeting in Port Vila, Australia will encourage the adoption of a statement reaffirming the Pacific’s commitment to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
Australia will also continue to support regional efforts to address climate change, including by better coordinating and delivering climate change adaptation and mitigation programs in the Pacific region.
Media inquiries
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