Palau Backs Solomon Islands' Move To Exclude Pacific Islands Forum Partner Talks Until 2026

Scoop

a day ago

Palau "respects" the Solomon Islands' decision to exclude Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) dialogue partners when it hosts the annual leaders' meeting in Honiara next month.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has sent letters to PIF member states suggesting a move to restrict partners, including China, the United States and Taiwan, from the gathering next month.
This will not be the first time a host of the Leaders Meeting has wanted external partners excluded.
"Palau acknowledges and respects the decision by host, Solomon Islands, to defer the partners' dialogues to 2026," Palau's Office of the President said in a statement to RNZ Pacific.
"This decision does allow us to focus on the critical intra-regional issues at this year's forum, including the High-Level Political Talanoa, the Ocean of Peace Declaration, and the Pacific Resilience Facility.
These were "matters of paramount importance" to the security, wellbeing, and future of the Pacific, the office said.
"As the incoming host of the 55th Pacific Islands Forum in 2026, Palau supports this proposal to defer the partners' dialogues.
"We believe it will give the Forum and its members the necessary time to fully complete the ongoing review of the new Partnership and Engagement Mechanism, ensuring that our engagement with all partners is strategic, unified, and aligned with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent."
The statement follows President Surangel Whipps Jr doubling down on his position regarding Taiwan's participation at the Honiara meeting.
"This is not about Palau's relationship with China or Solomon's Island's relationship with Taiwan," Whipps told RNZ Pacific in May.
"It is about the PIF, and the PIF recognises both [China and Taiwan]. Within the PIF, we, of course, have our differences. But we come together as one Pacific."
He said there has been some difficulty for Taiwan gaining access to the meeting this year, adding that if the Solomon Islands could not "fulfil the obligations" of hosting the Forum, then it should not host it.
"If any participant cannot get to the Solomon Islands, that should be there, and they are denied for any reason then that country - Solomon Islands or Palau - should be denied hosting PIF."
However, in its statement on Tuesday, Palau's Office of the President said: "Palau remains committed to the spirit of regional unity and looks forward to robust and constructive discussions in Honiara this September.
"We are prepared to welcome our partners to Palau in 2026 for a productive and meaningful dialogue, once the new mechanism is fully in place."
This week, Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine joined leaders from Tuvalu and Palau - the three Pacific nations with diplomatic ties to Taiwan - in putting the premier regional organisation on notice.
They say the future unity and stability of the Forum hangs in the balance, which has been a concern for some time.
"We witnessed at the Forum in Tonga how China, a world superpower, interfered to change the language of the Forum Communique, the communiqué of our Pacific Leaders.
"If the practice of interference in the affairs of the Forum becomes the norm, then I question our nation's membership in the organisation," Heine told the Marshall Islands parliament.
Political instability affecting unity - Cook Islands official
Cook Islands Foreign Secretary Tepaeru Herrmann says political instability is a significant factor challenging Pacific unity.
Cook Islands was one of the last Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) members to have its say in the final leg of a highly anticipated regional architecture review, which has now concluded.
The review is the leaders' response to increasing interest from a growing number of partners wanting a seat - and influence - at the regional decision-making table.
The views of all PIF members have been gathered by a High-Level Persons Group travelling the region and are set to be tabled at next week's Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Fiji.
The group has already met with the Heine, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, French Polynesia President Moetai Brotherson, and Niue Prime Minister Dalton Tagelagi.
Herrmann said it is the most important regional reform conversation in a generation.
"This is where our regional framework, not just our regional organisations, but the way in which we organise ourselves so that we can continue to work on ensuring unity, even where we have differences on issues, becomes really important.
"So this process and the Political Talanoa is integral to continuing to support unity," Herrmann told RNZ Pacific.
Herrmann believes that whatever happens with hosting arrangements, the focus must be on Pacific issues.
"For the Cook Islands, what is important when the Forum gathers is that the priority considerations and discussions are very much on the issues at the forefront of leaders of the Pacific, about the Pacific," she said.
She added that too often, the interest and reporting is on not so much the priorities as Pacific leaders articulate, but more about geopolitical issues.
'Patience'
RNZ Pacific has approached the PIF Secretariat in Suva and the Solomon Islands government for comment.
A Solomon Islands government spokesperson said: "We have received numerous media inquiries on this topic and kindly ask for your patience.
"To ensure clarity and consistency, we will provide a comprehensive update through a press conference or official press statement, rather than responding individually to each query."