Regional governance of the Pacific Islands is primarily the responsibility of their island nations themselves.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Ratu Inoke Kubuabola made this statement saying “it is logical that metropolitan developed countries like Australia and New Zealand take a step back.”

Ratu Inoke said Fiji believed the regional architecture of the Pacific Islands must be robust and fit for purpose to meet challenges facing the region in 21st century.

Ratu Inoke said some sections of the Australasian media had been portraying Fiji’s position as being “one bent on the eviction of Australia and New Zealand from the Pacific Islands Forum”.

He said this was not an accurate picture of what he had been saying on the subject.

“In  this regard, Fiji’s position was one of creating a level playing field for development partners of the Pacific Islands.

“If it is consensus that Pacific Island perceive these two developed countries should have a place at the regional governance table, then it was only fair that room should be made for other development partners which are interested in joining them at the table.”

Ratu Inoke said that Fiji was approaching the regional meeting to be hosted in Sydney in “a positive spirit”.

“It is premature to go into details of what Fiji would be presenting at the meeting, but that rationalisation would be at the core.”

He said too much funding was being diverted away from much-needed development programmes to the running of the various regional bureaucracies; with duplication, overlapping and lack of robustness clearly evident in the current set-up.

“The rationalisation of regional architecture for the Pacific Islands should have best interests of the Pacific Islands at its heart.”

He said the Pacific interests of development partners concerned were important, but secondary to those of the developing countries in Pacific Islands in the context of regional governance.

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