The Hon Stephen Smith MP, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms

The Hon Stephen Smith mp

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

Visit to Vanuatu for the Pacific Islands Forum

Media release

5 August 2010

I visited Port Vila, Vanuatu, on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 August to represent the Prime Minister and Australia at the 41st Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting.

On the Prime Minister’s behalf, I handed the Chair of the Forum to the Prime Minister of Vanuatu, the Hon Edward Natapei. Australia has proudly held this position for the past year.

Forum Leaders had productive discussions on a wide range of challenging issues facing the region, including improving coordination of development assistance, progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, climate change and regional protection of fisheries.

Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Cairns Compact on Strengthening Development Coordination and to meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Through the Port Vila Declaration, Leaders called on international development partners to work with Pacific Island countries to help achieve the MDGs. To this end I announced Australia would provide $85 million over four years to improve maternal and child health and accelerate progress towards MDG 4 (maternal health), MDG 5 (child health) and MDG 6 (HIV/AIDs, malaria and other diseases).

Leaders agreed that greater trade access and economic integration by Forum members continued to be a key regional priority. They endorsed measures to accelerate economic growth and prosperity in Forum Island countries, noting the private sector has an important role to play, as do relevant international organisations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO).

I made clear Australia’s commitment to help Pacific Island countries respond to the challenges of climate change. I welcome the principles adopted by Leaders to guide Forum countries and development partners on the effective management and implementation of international climate change financing commitments.

Leaders also endorsed the recommendation by Fisheries and Law Enforcement Ministers that negotiations for a new regional agreement to protect fisheries be commenced.

Leaders received the report of the Ministerial Contact Group on Fiji and noted its finding on the lack of progress towards the restoration of democracy in Fiji and as a consequence confirming Fiji’s suspension from the Forum is ongoing.

I took the opportunity to hold a range of bilateral meetings. In addition to formal discussions with the new Forum Chair, Prime Minister Natapei and Vanuatu’s Foreign Minister Natuman, I met New Zealand’s Prime Minister Key and Foreign Minister McCully, Prime Minister Sevele of Tonga, President Gomes of New Caledonia, Nauru’s Foreign Minister Keke and East Timor’s Foreign Minister da Costa.

In addition to Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Slade, I met Commonwealth Secretary General Sharma, UK Minister of State Lord Howell, and US Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell.

I signed Pacific Partnerships for Development with President Mori of the Federated States of Micronesia, President Toribiong of Palau, and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Marshall Islands, John Silk.

I signed Security Partnerships with President Tong of Kiribati and Prime Minister Tuilaepa of Samoa. Australia looks forward to continuing to build on the strong work of the Forum over the last year and supporting Vanuatu in taking the Forum agenda forward.

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