Pacific CSOs call for formal role in Forum decisions

Pacific civil society groups are calling on Pacific leaders to formally include them in regional decision-making as the Pacific Islands Forum reviews its regional architecture.

Pacific Network on Globalisation coordinator Joey Tau said the Pacific Islands Forum had not consistently engaged civil society organisations in Forum decisions.

“There are times where we're at the table, and times where we're left to the last day of a leaders' forum when dialogue partners are convening with leaders that we are brought in,” he said.

As the Forum enters the final stages of its review of the regional architecture, Mr Tau said civil society groups were pushing for their engagement to be institutionalised.

“For us, it's a greater question around partnerships, how do they place Forum partners, how do they place dialogue partners, stakeholders, and for many of us in the civil society space, we don't see ourselves as partners, but rather key implementers.

“Development partners will leave, but civil society will remain here, and we see ourselves as crucial implementers to government.”

Pacific Islands Association of NGOs executive director Emeline Siale said engaging civil society groups would help ensure leaders were held accountable for their decisions.

“I think there has been a huge gap. In a lot of areas, the decision that they made the following year doesn't seem to be followed through,” she said.

Pacific Islands Climate Action Network adviser for strategy and regional affairs Jame Viernes said the secretariat process had been used in ways that disadvantaged civil society.

“It's either weaponised in ways where it's not transparent and clear process to inform where and how we engage, or the process itself.”

Mr Viernes said a failure to determine how civil society would be meaningfully included in the final stage of the regional architecture review could undermine the Pacific's wider regional ambitions.

“If at this forum, a decision is not taken as to how civil society will be brought into this RRA meaningfully in this last stage, then the collective ambition of the Pacific as articulated in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent will not be realised. It will not be realised without civil society.”