Pacific Islands Forum

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF; French: Forum des îles du Pacifique; Fijian: Bose ni Yatu Pasifika; Māori: Te Huinga Moutere o Te Moananui-a-Kiwa; Samoan: Fono a Atumotu o le Pasefika; Tok Pisin: Pasifik Ailan Forum; Tongan: Fakataha 'a e Ngaahi 'Otu Motu Pasifiki) is an inter-governmental organisation which aims to enhance cooperation among countries and territories of Oceania, including formation of a trade bloc and regional peacekeeping operations. It was founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum (SPF), and changed its name in 1999 to "Pacific Islands Forum", so as to be more inclusive of the Forum's Oceania-spanning membership of both north and south Pacific island countries, including Australia and New Zealand.

The mission of the Pacific Islands Forum is "to work in support of Forum member governments, to enhance the economic and social well-being of the people of the South Pacific by fostering cooperation between governments and between international agencies, and by representing the interests of Forum members in ways agreed by the Forum". Its decisions are implemented by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), which grew out of the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation (SPEC). As well as its role in harmonising regional positions on various political and policy issues, the Forum Secretariat has technical programmes in economic development, transport and trade. The Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General is the permanent Chairman of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Australia and New Zealand are generally larger and wealthier than the other countries that make up the rest of the Forum, with Australia's population being around twice that of the other members combined and its economy being more than five times larger. They are significant aid donors and big markets for exports from the other island countries. Military and police forces as well as civilian personnel of Forum states, chiefly Australia and New Zealand, have recently been part of regional peacekeeping and stabilisation operations in other states, notably in Solomon Islands (2003–) and Nauru (2004–2009), under Forum auspices. Such regional efforts are mandated by the Biketawa Declaration, which was adopted at the 31st Summit of Pacific Islands Forum Leaders, held at Kiribati in October 2000. The 50th meeting of the Forum took place in Tuvalu in August 2019. In February 2021, Palau announced that it would be leaving the Pacific Islands Forum after a dispute regarding Henry Puna's election as the Forum's secretary-general.<ref name="GuardianPalau"/><ref name="NYTCave"/><ref name="France24Palau"/> The Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, and Nauru also decided to leave the Forum after Palau's decision.<ref name="RNZfive"/><ref name="Guardiancrisis"/> In February 2022, it was announced that the departure process had been paused, pending proposed reforms.<ref name="abc-pause">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="rnz-pause">Template:Cite news</ref> However, on 9 July 2022 Kiribati confirmed its withdrawal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 30 January 2023, Prime Minister of Fiji Sitiveni Rabuka confirmed that Kiribati had reconciled with the Pacific Islands Forum and planned to rejoin soon. Rabuka met Kiribati president Taneti Mamau who informed Rabuka of the decision.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The larger Pacific Community functions mainly to promote international development by providing technical and scientific advice and funding development projects, and does not consider security issues or function as a trade bloc.

History

South Pacific Forum, 5 August 1971, Wellington

The Forum grew out of a proposal from Cook Islander Premier Albert Henry for a political forum to work alongside the existing South Pacific Commission.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The idea was supported by other newly-independent island nations, and they agreed to meet to discuss a permanent body.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The first meeting of the South Pacific Forum was initiated by New Zealand and held in Wellington, New Zealand, from 5–7 August 1971 with attendants of the following seven countries: the President of Nauru, the Prime Ministers of Western Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, the Premier of the Cook Islands, the Australian Minister for External Territories, and the Prime Minister of New Zealand.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It was a private and informal discussion of a wide range of issues of common concern, concentrating on matters directly affecting the daily lives of the people of the islands of the South Pacific, devoting particular attention to trade, shipping, tourism, and education. Afterwards this meeting was held annually in member countries and areas in turn. In 1999, the 30th session decided to rename the organisation to the Pacific Islands Forum, to better account for areas outside the south Pacific. Immediately after the forum's annual meeting at head of government level, the Post Forum Dialogue (PFD) is conducted at ministerial level with PFD development partners around the world.<ref>The Pacific Islands Forum (Former South Pacific Forum)- Pacific Regional Order, pp 58–80, by Dave Peebles- Retrieved 8 January 2017</ref>

Suspension of Fiji

In August 2008, the Forum threatened to suspend Fiji if the latter did not commit to holding a general election by March 2009.<ref name="RNZI_41625">Template:Cite news</ref> Subsequently, at a special leaders' meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum held in Papua New Guinea in January 2009, Forum leaders set a deadline of 1 May, by which date Fiji must set a date for elections before the end of the year. Fiji rejected the deadline. Consequently, on 2 May, Fiji was suspended indefinitely from participation in the Forum with immediate effect.<ref>Statement by Forum Chair on suspension of the Fiji military regime from the Pacific Islands Forum Template:Webarchive; PIFS Press Statement 21/09, 2 May 2009</ref><ref name="RNZI_46320">Template:Cite news</ref> Toke Talagi, the Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum and Premier of Niue, described the suspension as "also particularly timely given the recent disturbing deterioration of the political, legal and human rights situation in Fiji since April 10, 2009".<ref name="Fiji suspended from Pacific Islands Forum"/> He described Fiji as "a regime which displays such a total disregard for basic human rights, democracy and freedom" which he believed contravened membership of the Pacific Islands Forum.<ref name="Fiji suspended from Pacific Islands Forum"/> Talagi emphasised, however, that Fiji had not been expelled and that it would be welcomed back into the fold when it returned to the path of "constitutional democracy, through free and fair elections".<ref name="Fiji suspended from Pacific Islands Forum">Template:Cite web</ref>

The 2009 suspension of Fiji marked the first time that a member of the Pacific Islands Forum had been suspended in the history of the then 38-year-old organisation.<ref name=abc>Template:Cite news</ref>

Following the Fijian general election of 17 September 2014, the Forum lifted the suspension of Fiji on 22 October 2014.<ref>Statement by Forum Chair on lifting the suspension of Fiji from the Pacific Islands Forum Template:Webarchive. Forumsec.org (24 October 2014). Retrieved on 2015-01-07.</ref>

Micronesian withdrawal

Following the election of Henry Puna as Secretary-General in February 2021 during a virtual meeting,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Palau threatened to leave the Forum, claiming that a "gentlemen's agreement" to rotate the position between Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, had been violated.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Puna had won a ballot by one vote (9–8) against the Marshall Island's Gerald Zackios, who was supported by five nations from Micronesia.<ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref> On 4 February, Palau formally terminated its participation in the forum, citing that the "process regarding the appointment of the Secretary General has clearly indicated to the Republic of Palau that unity, regionalism and the Pacific Way no longer guide the Forum", and closed its embassy in Fiji.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 6 February, the Forum's chair responded to the allegations, stating that there was a consensus decisions following an agreed process and that "we have upheld our principles and values as characterised through the Pacific way".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 8 February the Palau National Congress formally passed a joint resolution, supporting the decision made by President Surangel Whipps Jr. to leave the Forum.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Whipps has stated Puna has to step down for Palau to rejoin the Forum.<ref name="auto"/>

After Palau's decision to leave the Forum, several other participant countries have indicated their intention to review their membership. In general, the countries of Micronesia, with smaller populations and economies, have complained of being sidelined by larger countries, including Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.<ref name="NYTCave">Template:Cite news</ref> There had only ever been one Micronesian Secretary-General of the PIF. The day after Palau's withdrawal, MPs in the Marshall Islands, who had previously supported Zackios, called for the government to review its participation in the Forum, but opposed withdrawal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru have openly questioned whether they will remain members.<ref name="GuardianPalau">Template:Cite web</ref> Nauru President Lionel Aingimea has signalled his intention to pull out, stating that "If this is the way Micronesia is treated, then it is better off withdrawing from the Forum".<ref name="France24Palau">Template:Cite web</ref> Four members of the Micronesian bloc – the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, and Nauru – decided to hold a virtual meeting to discuss whether to exit the Forum.<ref name="France24Palau"/> Australia has attempted to convince the four Pacific Island nations not to pull out. While it has indicated a desire to continue to work with the Micronesian group if it chose to pull out of the Forum, it emphasised the need for Pacific unity.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>

On 9 February 2021, the remaining Micronesian states – the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, and Nauru – decided to leave the Forum.<ref name="RNZfive">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Guardiancrisis">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Micronesian leaders released a statement to "collectively express their great disappointment with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General appointment process", with each state jointly agreeing to formally initiate the process of withdrawal from the Forum.<ref name="Guardiancrisis"/> Their departure reduces the Forum to 12 members, all of them in the South Pacific.<ref name="RNZfive"/> It may take up to a year for the countries to formally leave the regional body.<ref name=":1" /> Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has stated that "we will continue to work very closely with the members of the Pacific Forum".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In February 2022, it was announced that the five Micronesian countries would pause the process of their departure.<ref name="abc-pause" /><ref name="rnz-pause" /> The President of the Federated States of Micronesia, David Panuelo, said that he had been told that Henry Puna would step down as Secretary-General, and that other reforms would occur.<ref name="abc-punadepature">Template:Cite news</ref> The Pacific Islands Forum secretariat did not officially confirm Puna's departure, saying only that talks were ongoing.<ref name="rnz-whippspause">Template:Cite news</ref> President Whipps of Palau said that the pause gave the Forum one last chance to do the right thing.<ref name="rnz-whippspause" /> In April, it was reported that the President of the Marshall Islands, David Kabua, was urging other Micronesian leaders to agree to several proposed reforms but to withdraw their demand for Puna to step down.<ref name="rnz-kabua-peace">Template:Cite news</ref> In June 2022, Forum leaders reached an agreement which would see Puna remain in office, and be replaced by a Micronesian candidate when his term ended.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The rotation of the Secretary-General between Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia would be made a permanent feature of the Forum, and two deputy secretary-general positions would be created for the other sub-regions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kiribati did not agree to the arrangement, and on 9 July 2022 withdrew from the Forum with immediate effect.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kiribati rejoined the Forum on 24 February 2023 following an official apology by Forum chair Sitiveni Rabuka.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

Membership

In September 2011, the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands were granted observer status in the Pacific Islands Forum,<ref name=rnzi>Template:Cite news</ref> while in September 2016 the French territories of French Polynesia and New Caledonia were granted full membership.<ref name="2016Forum"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Easter Island (administered by Chile) and Hawaii (an oceanic state of the U.S.) have both considered gaining representation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Kiribati withdrew from the Forum in 2022. The government of Kiribati changed its mind the next year in 2023 and decided to rejoin the forum, making its plans clear by a meeting of President of Kiribati Taneti Mamau with Prime Minister of Fiji Sitiveni Rabuka where Mamau told Rabuka about Kiribati's plan. Rabuka confirmed to the media that such a meeting did take place and stated that Kiribati had reconciled with the Pacific Islands Forum and would rejoin the Forum soon.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In August 2024, American Samoa and Guam were elevated to associate members.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In late August 2024, the Solomon Islands tabled a motion challenging Taiwan's participation in the Forum as a partner country. According to The Australian newspaper, China had issued a directive to prevent Taiwan from participating in the 2025 Forum meeting, scheduled to be held in Solomon Islands.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In early September 2024, China's Ambassador to the Pacific Qian Bo successfully lobbied for the Forum to remove references to Taiwan in the final communique of the 2024 leaders' summit in Tonga that week.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Member nations<ref name="2008Forum">Template:Cite web The Niue Declaration on Climate Change is Appendix B of this document.</ref>
Template:AUS (AU)	Template:COK (CK)	Template:FIJ (FJ)	Template:PYF (PF)<ref name="2016Forum">Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:KIR (KI)	Template:MHL (MH)	Template:Flag (FM)	Template:NRU (NR)<ref name="2016Forum" />
Template:Flagcountry (NC)	Template:NZL (NZ)	Template:NIU (NU)	Template:PLW (PW)
Template:PNG (PG)	Template:SAM (WS)	Template:SOL (SB)	Template:TGA (TO)
Template:TUV (TV)	Template:VAN (VU)
Associate member	Observers
Template:ASM (AS)	Template:MNP (MP)	Template:Flag (TL)	ACP Secretariat
Template:GUM (GU)	Asian Development Bank	Commonwealth Secretariat	IOM
Template:TKL (TK)<ref name="2016Forum" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:UNO Secretariat	WCPFC	World Bank
Template:Flagcountry (WF)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Dialogue partners
Template:CAN	Template:CHL	Template:CHN (CN)	Template:CUB
Template:EU	Template:FRA	Template:GER	Template:IND
Template:IDN (ID)	Template:ITA	Template:JPN	Template:MYS (MY)
Template:NOR	Template:PHI (PH)	Template:SGP<ref name="mfa">Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:KOR
Template:ESP	Template:THA	Template:TUR	Template:GBR
Template:USA (US)
Development partner
Template:TWN (TW)<ref>國際組織參與現狀</ref>

Statistics

Regions

Melanesia	Micronesia	Polynesia

Population and economic statistics of full and associate members

Member	Land area (km2)<ref name="land_area">Template:Cite book</ref>	Population (2023)	GDP (USD), 2022		Human Development Index (2022)<ref>Template:Cite report</ref>	Net ODA received (% of GNI)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
			total (millions)<ref>"United Nations" (2010 Data).</ref>	Per capita<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Template:Flag1	200	43,914	—	—	—	—
Template:Flag	7,741,220	26,451,124	1,675,419	67,866	0.951	—
Template:Flag	236	14,222	283	17,033	—	—
Template:Flag	18,274	924,145	4,943	5,356	0.730	14.9
Template:Flag	4,167	281,118	6,080	18,985	—	—
Template:Flag1	540	172,952	—	—	—	—
Template:Flag	811	132,530	223	1,704	0.624	18.7
Template:Flag	181	38,827	280	6,728	0.639	37.9
Template:Flag	702	112,630	427	3,741	0.628	29.2
Template:Flag	21	11,875	151	11,679	—	14.4
Template:Flag	18,575	289,870	10,071	33,190	—	—
Template:Flag	268,838	5,172,836	247,234	47,412	0.937	—
Template:Flag	260	1,817	—	—	—	—
Template:Flag	459	17,727	218	12,498	0.767	20.9
Template:Flag	462,840	10,389,635	30,633	3,117	0.558	4.7
Template:Flag	2,831	216,663	832	3,855	0.707	10.0
Template:Flag	28,896	800,005	1,596	2,204	0.564	16.5
Template:Flag1	12	2,397	—	—	—	—
Template:Flag	747	104,597	469	4,571	0.745	22.8
Template:Flag	26	9,816	60	5,219	—	44.4
Template:Flag	12,189	320,409	984	3,015	0.607	15.0
Template:Flagcountry1	142	11,370	—	—	—	—
Total	8,547,034	45,520,479	1,979,903	14,598.41	0.704	20.783

¹ Associate member

Secretaries General

The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat is appointed to a three-year term by the leaders of the member states.<ref name=fijitimes>Template:Cite news</ref> The Secretary General reports directly to the national leaders and the Forum Officials' Committee (FOC).<ref name=fijitimes/> The Secretary General also automatically serves as the permanent chairman of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP).<ref name=fijitimes/>

#	Name	Country	Took office	Left office
Directors of the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation
1	Mahe Tupouniua<ref name="List">Template:Cite book</ref>	Template:Flag	November 1972	1980
2	Gabriel Gris<ref name="List" />	Template:Flag	1980	1982 (died in office)
	John Sheppard (acting)<ref name="List" />	Template:Flag	1982	January 1983
3	Mahe Tupouniua<ref name="List" />	Template:Flag	January 1983	January 1986
4	Henry Naisali<ref name="List" />	Template:Flag	January 1986	September 1988
Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum
	Henry Naisali<ref name="List" />	Template:Flag	September 1988	January 1992
5	Ieremia Tabai<ref name="List" />	Template:Flag	January 1992	January 1998
6	Noel Levi<ref name="List" />	Template:Flag	February 1998	16 May 2004
7	Greg Urwin<ref name="Urwin">Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Flag	16 May 2004	2 May 2008 (resigned)
	Feleti Teo (acting)<ref name="Teo">Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Flag	2 May 2008	13 October 2008
8	Tuiloma Neroni Slade<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	Template:Flag	13 October 2008	4 December 2014
9	Meg Taylor<ref name="Taylor">Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Flag	4 December 2014	4 February 2021
10	Henry Puna<ref name=punaappt>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Flag	4 February 2021	23 May 2024<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
11	Baron Waqa<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Flag	3 June 2024	Incumbent

Institutions and legal framework

Library and archives building at the Secretariat complex in Suva, Fiji.

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat was established initially as a trade bureau in 1972 and later became the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation (SPEC). The name South Pacific Forum Secretariat was approved by member governments in 1988 and changed to Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in 2000.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

There are four divisions in the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, and each of these divisions has direct responsibility for a range of programs designed to improve the capacity of the Forum member countries and to co-ordinate action on matters of common interest:

1. Development and Economic Policy
2. Trade and Investment
3. Political, International and Legal Affairs
4. Corporate Services

The Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) established in 1995, plays a key role in assessing regional economic developments.<ref>Dave Peebles -Pacific Regional Order 2005 1920942467- Page 141 "As discussed in Chapter Four, in 1995 the Forum instituted a new annual meeting, the Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM). According to the Forum Secretariat, the FEMM 'plays a key role in assessing regional economic developments, ...</ref>

Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement

The Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> aims to establish a free-trade area between 14 of the Pacific Islands Forum countries. As of 2013, it had been signed by 12 states:<ref name="pictastatus" />

It has not been signed by either Palau or the Marshall Islands. All of the signing states have ratified the treaty, with the exception of Micronesia. As of March 2008, six countries had announced that domestic arrangements had been made enabling them to trade under the agreement:<ref name="pictastatus">Template:Cite web</ref> Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands,<ref>"Solomon Islands Ready to Trade Under PICTA" Template:Webarchive, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat</ref> and Vanuatu.<ref>"Vanuatu ready to trade under PICTA", People's Daily Online</ref>

After the trade agreement goes into force, countries commit to removing tariffs on most goods by 2021. As of April 2008, The Forum Island Countries are also negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union. It is important to note that the PICTA discussed here covers only the trade of goods. At the Forum Island Leaders Meeting held in Rarotonga, Cook Islands on 28 August 2012, nine members signed the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement Trade in Services (PICTA TIS).<ref>http://www.forumsec.org/resources/uploads/attachments/documents/PICTA_TIS_Protocol_2012.pdf Template:Webarchive Protocol</ref> As of April 2008, there is an ongoing negotiation to design and agree on a protocol to include trade in services and the temporary movement of natural persons (a broader concept than the GATS's Mode 4).<ref name="pictaservices">Pacific Trade in Services Negotiations – First Round, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat</ref>

The Office of the Chief Trade Adviser was established on 29 March 2010 to provide independent advice and support to the Pacific Forum Island Countries (FICs) in the PACER Plus trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

Blue Pacific – collective security interests of member states

The Biketawa Declaration (2000) on collective security committed Pacific Islands Forum members to eight values, including good governance, liberty of the individual, democratic processes, indigenous rights and cultural values, traditions and customs, and recognising the importance and urgency of equitable economic, social and cultural development to satisfy the basic needs and aspirations of the peoples of the Forum.<ref name="BD1">Template:Cite web</ref>

The Boe Declaration (2018) of Regional Security is a declaration agreed to by all the leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum on 5 September 2018,<ref name="Boe">Template:Cite web</ref> which declaration is a framework for coordinating response to regional crises, and sets out an expanded concept of security.<ref name="Low">Template:Cite web</ref> The Boe Declaration extended the Biketawa Declaration (2000) to include issues of human security, environmental security, transnational crime, and cybersecurity.<ref name="Boe"/><ref name="TN">Template:Cite journal</ref>

The expanded concept of security set out in the Boe Declaration has been applied in the Falepili Union between Tuvalu and Australia (2023).<ref name=FalepiliTreaty>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="AUTFU">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=AustraliaTuvaluResidency>Template:Cite news</ref>

Recent works

An "open skies" policy has been under work by a number of nations. The Pacific Islands Air Services Agreement or PIASA would allow member nations to have more access for their airlines to other member countries. To date there have been ten signatories, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Six countries have ratified the agreement: Cook Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

At the 19–20 August 2008 Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Niue, the leaders discussed Pacific Plan priorities including, "fisheries, energy, trade and economic integration, climate change and transport, in addition to information and communication technology, health, education, and good governance." Leaders also discussed the impacts of climate change and adopted the Niue Declaration on Climate Change. Restoration of democratic governance in Fiji was discussed as were consequences should the interim government fail to meet established deadlines.<ref>Template:Cite web "Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Pacific leaders were losing patience with Fiji's interim government. He said Australia will mobilize any resources necessary to restore democracy to Fiji."</ref> Regional assistance to the Solomon Islands and Nauru was discussed, followed by discussion of radioactive contamination in the Marshall Islands from US government tests. Regional institutional framework issues and WTO Doha round developments were discussed, followed by discussion of country-initiatives and the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility launched 19 August 2008 to provide up to A$200 million over four years to help improve infrastructure in Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.<ref name="2008Forum" /> The United Nations announced that it would partner with Samoa to develop an Inter-Agency Climate Change Centre to help Pacific island nations combat the impacts of climate change in the region.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2013 forum, the Marshall Islands, supported by all other Pacific nations, claimed compensation from the United States for the nuclear tests conducted on the islands during the 1940s and 1950s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the Nadi Bay declaration of 30 July 2019, the Pacific Islands Forum warned that coral atoll nations could be uninhabitable as early as 2030, expressed their deeply concern about a lack of "comprehension, ambition or commitment" from developed nations and called for an immediate reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 27 January 2021, the European Union and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat agreed a project worth EUR 5.75 million to enhance the trade capacity of Pacific Island countries. The project titled "Strengthening Pacific Intra-Regional and International Trade (SPIRIT)" is designed to boost and increase intra-regional and international trade by strengthening institutional and technical capacity in the Pacific Island region. It will also facilitate the implementation of other trade agreements, in particular the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and of the Pacific's Aid-for-Trade Strategy 2020–2025.<ref name="EU2021-1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Summits

PIF Summits

#	Year	Dates	Country	City	Leaders	Ref.
44	2013	3-6 September	Template:Flag	Majuro	Template:Collapsible list
45	2014	29-31 July	Template:Flag	Koror	Template:Collapsible list
46	2015	8-10 September	Template:Flag	Port Moresby	Template:Collapsible list
47	2016	8-10 September	Template:Flag	Pohnpei	Template:Collapsible list
48	2017	5-8 September	Template:Flag	Apia	Template:Collapsible list
49	2018	3-6 September	Template:Flag	Yaren	Template:Collapsible list
50	2019	14–16 August	Template:Flag	Funafuti	Template:Collapsible list
	2021	6 August	Template:Flag	Virtual meeting Template:Small Suva	Template:Collapsible list
51	2022	11–14 July	Template:Flag	Suva	Template:Collapsible list
52	2023	6–10 November	Template:Flag	Rarotonga	Template:Collapsible list
53	2024	26–30 August	Template:Flag	Nukuʻalofa	Template:Collapsible list
54	2025	8-12 September	Template:Flag	Honiara	Template:Collapsible list

See also

• Forum Fisheries Agency
• Melanesian Spearhead Group
• Pacific Community
• Pacific Forum Line – a regional shipping company owned by 12 Pacific Islands Forum member countries
• Pacific Games
• Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation (PIPSO)
• Pacific Trade Invest
• Pacific Union
• Polynesian Leaders Group
• Trade bloc

External links

• Template:Official website
• "Backgrounder: Pacific Islands Forum", Xinhua, 18 August 2008
• Articles on Pacific Islands Agricultural Trade at Agritrade Template:Webarchive