2 Aug 2013

Inaugural Fiji meeting aimed at re-inventing Forum says academic

1:26 pm on 2 August 2013

The director of Fiji University's Centre for International and Regional Affairs says an inaugural Fiji-led Pacific Island gathering next week is clearly intended to re-invent the Pacific Islands Forum without Australia and New Zealand.

The three-day Pacific Islands Development Forum succeeds Fiji's Engaging with the Pacific meetings set up by Fiji following its suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum.

China, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates are among those funding the meeting in Denarau.

Professor Richard Herr says the three-day gathering is intended as a rival to the Pacific Islands Forum.

"There's no doubt about that. The name and everything else about it suggests that this is the intention. Whether it will have the resources to do that, I mean it's being funded by a number of outside powers that probably won't stay the distance, but if it survives even as a parallel body it will weaken the role of Australia and New Zealand through the forum without a doubt."

Professor Richard Herr of the University of Fiji.

Fiji's Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola says the 23 Pacific countries attending will be able to discuss their own challenges and formulate solutions free from outside interference and prescription of their larger neighbours.

He says Australia and New Zealand will be among 10 official observers at the meeting.