Konrad Adenauer Stiftung - Regional Programme Australia and the Pacific (KAS Australia) was pleased to attend the Opening Ceremony of the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM) held in Honiara from 8 to 12 September.
Held under the theme ‘Umi Tugeda: Act Now for an Integrated Blue Pacific Continent’, the 2025 PIFLM was unusual in that all dialogue partners were banned from the event. The keynote speeches were held by the Prime Minister of Tonga (Hon Aisake Eke), the Secretary General of the PIF Secretariat (Hon Baron Waqa), and the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands (Hon Jeremiah Manele), who emphasized the importance of Pacific regional solidarity to tackle the challenges the region is facing, including the effects of climate change. Notably, PM Manele acknowledged the value of partners and partnerships, saying the PIF members looked forward to engaging with its partners again at the next opportunity. According to the PM, key outcomes of the high-level meetings include the signing of the Pacific Resilience Facility, the adoption of the Ocean of Peace Declaration and the Labour Mobility Principles, as well as the advancement of reforms of the regional architecture (For more information, click here.)
KAS Australia was also invited to attend various side events hosted by the Islands Knowledge Institute of the Solomon Islands (IKI) in the context of the Forum. IKI is one of KAS Australia’s cooperation partners in the Solomon Islands. In the words of its founders, the think tank was set up ‘to build knowledge created by island peoples within island spaces’. The weeklong side events covered various themes, including kava and its protection as a geographic indication of origin, the creation of a Melanesian ocean reserve, and the opportunities of indigenous constitutionalism. Speakers included the Minister for Climate Change Adaptation of Vanuatu (Hon Ralph Regenvanu), and other ministers and members of parliament. In attendance were also representatives from the independence movement of West Papua, civil society organisations, media, and youth representatives.
For more information on the 2025 PIFLM, please refer to the Communique [to be] issued by the PIF Secretariat here.
