18 Jan 2018

Forum consults Pacific on security, finance and foreign policy

8:27 am on 18 January 2018

The future of Pacific regional policy is to be guided by the outcomes of a series of in-country consultations being conducted by the Pacific Islands Forum over the next two months.

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Photo: RNZ

The first in the series begins this week in the Federated States of Micronesia.

The Forum Secretariat said the key themes emerging from the consultations will be used to shape future Pacific policy including a regional security declaration which will be called Biketawa Plus and a proposed collective forum foreign policy.

Through the consultations the forum said it will also explore innovative finance options for development in Forum countries.

The Forum's policy director Paki Ormsby said the goal of the consultation is to ensure Pacific people have a say in the development of regional policies.

Mr Ormsby said this is because policy at any level will only succeed when it responds directly to the concerns of the community.

The Forum team will begin in Pohnpei where they will meet with representatives from the Government, private sector, and civil society. They will then travel to Chuuk for further consultations.

More information on the regional policy consultations including online surveys for those who cannot attend in person can be found on the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat [www.forumsec.org website].

Interested participants based in the Federated States of Micronesia can contact SIS Officer

Richard Moufa based in the Department of Foreign Affairs via email: Richrd.Moufa@dfa.gov.fm or phone: (691) 923-6474.