Secretary General

Concerns have been raised about the Micronesian Presidents Summit endorsing Nauru's controversial former president Baron Waqa to be the next Forum secretary general.

RNZ Pacific reports Waqa is due to take up the role in 2024, replacing Henry Puna.

It was part of the Forum's effort to appease its disgruntled Micronesian members, who had threatened to leave the regional agency.

The five northern Pacific states, Palau, Nauru, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, vowed early last year to pull out of the organisation.

They were angry their nominee for secretary general, Marshall Islands diplomat Gerald Zackios, had been overlooked in favour of Cook Islands Prime Minister Puna.

The spokesman for the FSM government said the Micronesian states have been given an undertaking by both New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne that Mr Puna is to step down by June.

Tevi is not new to the role as he was acting SG for nine months following the expiry of Jacqueline De Gaillande’s contract in January this year.

Following his appointment, Tevi said he would like to see a strong national society that has the capacity to provide humanitarian emergency response whenever disaster strikes.

“This means building a strong decentralised structure for the Red Cross with a good stakeholder and public authority network.  An indicator for this would be the expansion of Branches to Sub-Branches in all 6 provinces.”

Secretary General Dame Meg Taylor addressed journalists at a pre-forum media workshop hosted by the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA).  

She emphasised the importance of this year’s theme for the 49th Pacific Islands Forum hosted in Nauru - Building a strong Pacific: “Our People – Our Islands – Our Will”.  

Dame Taylor says it’s a call for the region to realise its significance in the world, being the largest ocean state.