Forum of the Pacific Islands

The Forum of the Pacific Islands is a international political organization of regional co-operation which joins together the 16 independent countries and territories associated with the Oceania. The creation of the Forum dated August 5th 1971 with Wellington (New Zealand) under the name of Forum of the Southern Pacific . The seat of its secretariat is with Suva (Fiji). Its general secretary is Greg Urwin (a Australia N) since January 1st 2004.

The 16 Member States of the Forum are: Australia, islands Cook, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palaos, New Guinea-News-Guinea (which ensures in 2006 the Rotating presidency), the Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. In became associated members since the 37e annual summit (October 24th, 2006), the New Caledonia and the French Polynésie, two of the three French communities of Oceania. 3rd, Wallis-and-Futuna, are “ invited to become observant just like ” are it also since 2006 the the United Nations, the general secretary of the the Commonwealth and the Asian development bank. Two other candidatures were deferred, “ while waiting for that the questions outstanding are solved ”, it acts of the American territories of the American Samoa and Guam. New Caledonia was observant within the Forum since 1999, French Polynesia since 2004. In is observant: Eastern Timor. The various partners of the Dialog Post-Forum are: the United Kingdom, Canada, European Union, China, the United States, France, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Filipino, India. The budget of the Forum is of 5,8 M€ (2003) of which two thirds ensured by Canberra and Wellington. The principal givers are: Australia (30%), New Zealand (30%), the United States, Japan, European Union, Canada, UNDP, France. Branches of industry concerned with the missions of the Forum: Environment, telecommunications, civil aviation, maritime energy, safety, trade, fishings, communications. The agencies of the Forum are two: Arranges fishings (Forum Fisheries Agency), sea Compagnie of transport (Pacific Forum Line).

Presentation

Created in 1971, gathering 16 independent States and territories associated with Oceania, the Forum of the Pacific Islands, in the past Forum of the Southern Pacific (name change in October 2000), is the principal authority of political co-operation in the area Pacifique. There exists neither charter, neither bearing international treaty creation of this organization, nor written rule relating to the control of the meetings. The New Caledonia was allowed like observer, in October 1999 and Eastern Timor in 2003. The Forum reached in 1994 the statute of observer near the General meeting of the the United Nations. Each year, the organization meets in the level them heads of government to determine by consensus the positions of a very composite community océanienne. A General secretary, based with Suva, fact office of permanent body of connection. Following the Fiji, New Zealand ensures the Rotating presidency Forum for one year since the top of Auckland of August 2003 which was centered on the election of the new General secretary like on the good governance and regional safety. Breaking with the tradition of a General secretary coming out from one of the Island states, Canberra managed to make elect Australian, Mr. Greg Urwin, with the head of the organization.

Relations with France

The relations with France were often difficult even surging, because the Forum is resulting from the opposition of the countries of the area to the French nuclear tests. The Forum of the Southern Pacific was used as framework with the adoption of the Traité of Rarotonga, on August 6th, 1985, founding a atom-free zone in Oceania. But in September 1995, France was represented for the first time on a ministerial level within the framework of the " Dialog Post-Forum" of Port Moresby. The Forum nevertheless suspended the statute of France of " partner of the dialog" , on October 8th, 1995, in retortion with the resumption of the tests nuclaires (reinstated in January 1996, after the French signature of the protocols of Rarotonga, on March 25th, 1996, décison of the top of Majuro in 1996). During the France-Oceania meeting of PAPEETE, the July 28th 2003, Jacques Chirac met the Fijian president of the Forum and its Secretary general-assistant. In 2003, the Forum invited the French territories of the Pacific to adhere to the agreement of free trade between the States of the Southern Pacific (PICTA).

In 2006, the changes of status of the French territorial collectivities, supported by France, had obtained an approval of principle of the leaders océaniens at the time in particular of the second France-Oceania top, which had proceeded the June 26th 2006 in Paris, under the presidency of Jacques Chirac. The French reactions to these changes are of an extreme satisfaction: the ambassador Patrick Roussel, Secretary permanent for the Pacific, which belongs to a French delegation led by Richard Samuel, principal private secretary of the French Minister for Outre-mer, François Baroin, was pleased with this decision of the leaders of the Forum. “ I believe that one can say that 2006 are very a good vintage. The reaction, it is that we obviously accommodate with a great satisfaction the admission like associated member of French Polynesia and New Caledonia. And for Wallis and Futuna, we are all the more content as we had had some fears that the process takes a little bit more time. But we did not have a doubt about the exit. ”. Concerning a request of France for a statute of privileged partner with Forum, this regional organization does not make mention in her final communique of it. “ This question does not appear and we thus will discuss it in the two days which come with our partners from the Forum (within the framework from traditional the " dialog post-Forum"). The European Union, of course, will make in the same way on its side ”, indicated the French diplomat.

See too

External bond

General secretary of the Forum

Zh-min-nan: Thài-pêng-iûⁿ-tó Lūn-toâⁿ

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