“We are a force to be reckoned with”

By Mar-Vic Cagurangan

NUKU’ALOFA (Pacific Islands Times) – Barun Waqa has advised Pacific leaders to remain vigilant in the face of rising geopolitical tensions, while calling on island nations and territories to harness the region’s collective strengths to achieve their goals and meet their needs.

“We may be small island nations, but as the blue Pacific continent, we are a force to be reckoned with,” the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum said at the opening of the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, on Monday.

“We are at the center of strategic geopolitical interests. We are at the forefront of addressing climate change and its impacts,” Vaca said. “We continue to manage the changing economic development landscape.”

According to the forum’s website, the agenda focuses on implementation and action to achieve the 2050 strategy and a “fit for purpose” regional architecture. Climate ambition and financing are priorities, and international support for the Pacific Resilience Facility is critical.

Currently, regional stability is threatened by rising tensions between China and Taiwan, fierce competition between Washington and Beijing, and growing resentment among colonies toward their administering powers.

“We need to be vigilant about regional security issues and we have to ensure that these issues meet national and regional needs,” Waqa said.

“We have a collective strategic potential and together we reaffirm that we will act together from strength. We must not forget that,” he added.

Waqa called on forum members to “clearly and decisively determine the direction, priorities and actions they will take.”

The forum consists of 18 member countries, including Australia and Vanuatu.

“We need to embed resilience as a priority in all policies and implementation processes, especially in areas that relate to our people – primarily health and education,” he said.

The theme of this year’s Leaders’ Meeting is “Pacific Islanders of change and resilience – building back better now.”

Waqa said the region’s goals must focus on ensuring island nations and territories can achieve prosperity for future generations.

The Blue Pacific Continent 2050 Strategy, launched two years ago, sets out a “collective vision” for the region.

“Strategy 2050 is our commitment to ensure that we do not leave the future to chance and that we will emerge stronger and more resilient together,” Waqa said. “We call on all partners to work with us and support our vision and priorities.”

Addressing the opening ceremony, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told leaders that while much of the world is mired in conflict, injustice and socio-economic crisis, the Pacific “is a beacon of solidarity and strength, of environmental stewardship and peace.”

“The world has much to learn from you. The world must also step up to support you,” he said, adding that their region has “fearless seafarers, expert fishermen, and a deep ancestral knowledge of the ocean,” while the world’s oceans are being treated “like sewers” by humanity as a whole.

Guterres noted that the Pacific region is doing its part and urged the G20 countries with the largest carbon emissions to “step up and take the lead in phasing out the production and consumption of fossil fuels and immediately halt their expansion…PACNEWS

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