Prime Minister and Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum, Voreqe Bainimarama and US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, co-chaired the first Ministerial Meeting of the Partners of the Blue Pacific in New York today (23/09/22).
Present at the meeting were Pacific Leaders who were joined by Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and France.
Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama echoed the voices of the Pacific people to call for greater engagements, and deeper partnerships that uphold the wellbeing and security of Pacific Islands, support their economies to prosper, and protect the services our ocean provides for the planet.”
Prime Minister Bainimarama told the forum that this is a moment we cannot miss to foster greater engagement.
He said that the Pacific faced complex and intersecting crises, from increasing food and fuel prices arising from the war in Ukraine to growing food insecurity arising from severe supply chain disruptions to a raging climate crisis in all aspects of our lives and economies.
While the US, Australia, UK, and New Zealand and Japan are already full members of the Partnership, Korea, India, Germany, Canada and France expressed their determination to join this partnership.
The Foreign Ministers of Germany and Canada assured Pacific Leaders that there will be greater emphasis on expanding their partnership with the Pacific.
They are both keen to expanding their diplomatic presence in Fiji as well .
Prime Minister Bainimarama further informed the Foreign Ministers of the Partners of the Blue Pacific (PBP) that Pacific Island states together are an oceanic superpower that is coming into its own in this century, our citizens are the stewards of the world’s largest ocean, ecosystem, and carbon sink.
“With this comes great responsibility,” he said.
“To our other partners of the Blue Pacific, thank you for responding to our longstanding call for greater global engagement; for more joined-up working between our development partners as they engage with people, communities across our Blue Frontier.”
“I cannot stress enough that the most important frameworks to our countries and citizens are those that we shape and make for ourselves, chiefly, the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy. I am reassured that our approach through this partnership will be guided by the Pacific at every stage”.
“We seek your support, we also seek your influence and convening power in reforming a multilateral system that systematically works against us.”
The Prime Minister, at the same time, called on partners to show us clear and transparently reported pathways to reduce their carbon emissions in line with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree target.
“It is the hope and expectation of people across the Blue Pacific that the partners of the Blue Pacific will serve as launching pad for securing the objectives of the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy.”
He said this partnership had the potential for becoming a defining partnership between the Pacific, USA and other countries.
The Prime Minister thanked Secretary Blinken for his determination in shaping this broader partnership and for convening its first ministerial meeting.
