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Addressing economic and social challenges facing the region remains critical to the region’s future, the Fifth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM) in Japan noted.
And accepting this, the leaders confirmed their mutual commitment to cooperate closely to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the target date of 2015.
The PIF (Pacific Island Forum) leaders noted that the Pacific region had shown mixed results against the MDGs and, as expressed in their 2008 Niue Communiqué, reiterated their collective commitment to redouble their efforts to make faster progress towards their achievement.
In this context, the Leader of Japan also committed to provide assistance for human resource development of 2,000 individuals to assist Pacific island countries to attain MDGs and overcome economic vulnerabilities.
Furthermore, according to the meetings’ outcomes, PIF leaders welcomed Japan’s assistance to be utilized to overcome and tackle vulnerabilities facing Pacific island countries.
Also, responding to a call by the PIF Leaders to contribute to the development of sustainable economies in the region, the Leader of Japan committed to assisting Pacific island countries grow key sectors of their economies with a particular focus on supporting development of agriculture, fisheries and tourism sectors and improving transport and telecommunications infrastructure.
As well, the Leaders of Japan and the PIF noted the importance of this cooperation in addressing key food security challenges for the region
The meeting, which was co-chaired by Japan Prime Minister Taro Aso, and the PIF Chair Toke Talagi, was held from May 22-23 in Hokkaido, Japan.
Those who attended included leaders and representatives of Japan, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu were in attendance. The Meeting was co-chaired by the Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. Taro Aso, and the Chair of the PIF and Premier of Niue, the Hon Toke Tufukia Talagi.
