13 Aug 2018

Wallis and Futuna poised to become Forum associate member

6:27 am on 13 August 2018

The French territory of Wallis and Futuna is expected to admitted as a associate member of the Pacific Islands Forum at its summit in Nauru next month.

A statement by the French Polynesian presidency said the move was approved unanimously by the Forum foreign ministers who met in Samoa.

The other two French Pacific territories, French Polynesia and New Caledonia, were admitted as full members two years ago after a decade as associate members.

The statement also said the foreign ministers approved a revised security policy, called Biketawa Plus, which would be submitted to the leaders in Nauru.

Foreign Ministers from the Pacific Island Forum

Foreign Ministers from the Pacific Island Forum Photo: supplied

It also said there had been an animated discussion about a proposal to inscribe the Indonesia's West Papua on the UN decolonisation list.

The statement said the exchange involved Vanuatu, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Samoa, but gave no further details.

The former Dutch colony was made part of Indonesia following a controversial 1969 UN-approved referendum.