Port Moresby

The European Union's climate change commissioner is confident the world won't ignore the plight of tiny Pacific island countries at risk of disappearing under rising seas.

Miguel Canete told reporters at the Pacific Island Forum in Port Moresby on Tuesday that while countries such as Kiribati and the Marshall Islands were small, their voices were loud on the world stage.

“They are very active negotiators and they have a solid case... when you have commitment and passion your voice is heard,” he said.

Convening hours before the 46th annual Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Summit is due to open, Pacific members of the African, Caribbean and the Pacific bloc of countries are holding a one day session at a hotel near the country’s Jackson International Airport. All Forum member nations with the exception of Australia and New Zealand belong to the Pacific ACP group.

For the first time, 25 members of regional civil society organisations held a breakfast discussion with four Pacific Leaders, PM O’Neill, President Tommy Remengsau of Palau, President Christopher Loeak of Marshall Islands and President Peter Christian of the Federated States of Micronesia at the Gateway Hotel in Port Moresby.

The countries form the Forum Troika.

The host, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, told The Australian the Port Moresby summit “will showcase PNG’s energy and diversity, and we shall take leadership roles in some issues we are passionate about”.

These would include “climate change — and how the Pacific should position itself in that ­debate” in the run-up to the Paris World Climate Summit, “and about economic integration of the Pacific as a means of supporting the development of the region and mobilising skills”.

The state of the world's only healthy tuna fishery is high on the agenda for Pacific leaders, who are in Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby for the annual Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting.

Prime Minister John Key and Foreign Minister Murray McCully arrive today ahead of the main talks tomorrow and Thursday.

Pacific leaders will be putting their heads together to work out how to maximise revenue from the Pacific's US$4 billion a year tuna catch – and ensure more of it stays in the region.

A senior official attending the small island states leaders’ summit told Islands Business that his country is unhappy about the draft Pacific Island Forum statement on climate change that is already in circulation among Forum delegates.

Yet to be released publicly, the document reportedly supports a 2 degrees temperate rise target, instead of the 1.5 degrees being advocated by small island states who are members of AOSIS, the Alliance of Small Island States 2 degrees is the preferred target of industrialised countries, of which Australia and New Zealand are members of. 

Briefing journalists in Port Moresby Saturday, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s acting climate change finance adviser, Exley Taloiburi said the draft text will be further tweaked by Senior Officials before the Leaders retreat in Port Moresby on Thursday. Forum member countries were given another opportunity to comment on the proposed political statement before the draft is ready for the Leaders this week.

She has given credit to the General Secretary of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat and Papua New Guinean Meg Taylor for the different approach she has taken in the secretariat.

She says in the past there has always been long lists of priority issues set out by government officials for leaders to deliberate.

Most times leaders did not have the time to be thorough.

For this PIF only five key issues were identified after the secretariat carried out wide consultation on what people thought their leaders should be discussing.

Topics on discussion for the Pacific Island Forum leaders’ summit are;

1.            Increase return from fisheries and maritime surveillance

2.            Climate risk and disaster risk management

3.            Information and communication technology

4.            West Papua

5.            Cervical cancer  

The Pacific Ocean is the largest in the world and accounts for three thirds of the world’s tuna stock but this does not translate into revenue.

Bainimarama in his opening message at the Pacific islands Development Forum said Australian and New Zealand needs to stop undermining the PIDF by actively lobbying governments and leaders of the South Pacific to not attend the Summit.

In a statement sent to FBC NEWS, the Ausralian High Commission says the PIF is stronger when it represents all of the Pacific region and works with one voice.