Fifth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting

20 May, 2009 in Climate, Japan, Pacific Islands by ymikoasayama | 1 comment

Japan will host the fifth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 5) inviting government leaders of Pacific Island Countries (PICs) in Tomamu, a ski resort in Hokkaido, Japan, from 22-23 May.

The objectives of the PALM are to strengthen ties between Japan and the Pacific Island region and work towards development in the region taking account of the conditions in PICs and the perspectives of change globally. It has been held every three year since 1997. PALM provides great opportunities for Japan and PIC government leaders to exchange opinions on a regular basis. The outcomes of these PALMs have become a basis for Japan’s diplomacy toward PICs. Australia and New Zealand are also invited to PALM as member countries of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Japanese responses to PICs have also strengthened bilateral diplomacy with Australia and New Zealand and improved regional diplomacy regarding PICs among the three countries.

The aims of PALM 5 are particularly innovative, because the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established an expert committee consisting of academics, NGOs, a journalist and a private agency. This expert committee has already met 6 times, from November 2008, to review the implementation of proposals by previous PALMs and discuss the situation hampering development in PICs, such as climate change. The Secretariat of Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) director and the 2008 PIF Chair Toke Talagi, Premier of Niue were also invited as guest speakers of 3rd and 6th meetings, respectively, to hear their opinions regarding the modalities of Japanese assistance for PICs. The expert committee developed a proposal on ways to improve the PALM, in particular the policy and themes of Japan’s cooperation which will be discussed at PALM 5. At PALM 5, government leaders will follow up “the Okinawa Partnership for a More Robust and Prosperous Pacific Region“,  a position adopted at the 4th PALM in 2006, to facilitate achieving the objectives of the Pacific Plan.

The main agenda of PALM 5 will be centred on three themes:

(1) Environment and Climate Change
The government leaders propose to establish a “Pacific Environmental Community” (PEC) to consider approaches build a region-wide cooperation to address environmental and climate change. Japan proposes to announce the plan to support PICs in implementing climate change mitigation and adaptation measures under the concept of a Cool Earth Partnership. With support, Japan proposes to encourage PICs to exert voluntary efforts in addressing their environmental issues.

(2) Human Security
The government leaders aim to show a regional collective will and resolution in dealing with PICs’ vulnerabilities and challenges to enhance human security. Japan will give particular attention to human security in relation to water; subsistence agriculture; education and health, with a focus on capacity building to support PICs meet their Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). PICs’ challenges derived from the ongoing financial and economic crisis will also be addressed.

(3) Human Resource Development
As part of the human resource development component, the aim will be to strengthen personnel exchanges to further regional collaborations.

  1. Masayuki Nishida on 20 May, 2009 at 12:45 pm

    Recently, the target of Japanese aid policy shifted from Asia to whole world. Japanese government tries to draw companies’ and citizens’ eyes to Africa or PICs in her global strategy. However response from private sectors in Japan is not so enthusiastic. So far, most of them could not find potentials of these areas like business, national security, natural resource human resource, and cultural resource. Even if government appealed responsibility as global member in UN, most of Japanese citizen would not allow governmental spending to less important issues for national economy and security in recession and decreasing long-trend of Japanese presence in world economy. Against these isolation atmosphere, Japanese Foreign ministry and JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) is emphasizing “selection and concentration” to seek effectiveness in aid distribution. There are many themes and participant countries from PICs to discuss in Pacific Islanders leaders meeting. But governmental plan seems to show just general topics without selection. I think Japan needs more “selection and concentration”.