Political Reviews

The Region in Review: International Issues and Events, 2008 nic maclellan

Melanesia in Review: Issues and Events, 2008 david chappell, jon fraenkel, solomon kantha, roselyn lenga

© 2009 by University of Hawai‘i Press

323 The Region in Review: International Issues and Events, 2008

Throughout 2008, Pacifi c regional- the use of a PNG military fl ight to ism was buffeted by a series of cri- transport Moti to to ses. Regional unity was stressed by avoid Moti’s extradition to Austra- administrative, budgetary, and leader- lia. ’s interim administration was ship problems in intergovernmental angry over “smart sanctions” intro- agencies; by tensions between Pacifi c duced by and , Islands Forum member countries over and ’s refusal to act on climate change and trade; and by global warming dismayed the small unresolved debate over the relation- island states that are already suffering ship between the Forum and Fiji, after adverse climate impacts. the 2006 coup led by In 2008, regular diplomatic visits Voreqe Bainimarama. by new Foreign Minister Stephen At the same time, elections in Smith and parliamentary secretaries Australia (November 2007), New Bob McMullan (for aid) and Duncan Zealand (November 2008), and the Kerr (for Pacifi c Island affairs) have (November 2008) have reinforced key policy decisions by the transformed the regional landscape, as Rudd government. These changes— the incoming governments push new some symbolic, some substantial— policies on development assistance, have changed the mood in the region: climate, and regional engagement. the ratifi cation of the Kyoto Proto- In less than a year, the incoming col; the Stolen Generations apology; Australian government led by Prime closing the Pacifi c Solution detention Minister Kevin Rudd improved the center in ; promises of increased atmospherics of Australia’s engage- aid, a$150 million in climate adapta- ment with the Pacifi c Islands. By the tion funds; and a new a$200 million end of the conservative government Pacifi c Region Infrastructure Facility of former Prime Minister John How- (prif). ard (1996–2007), relations with key Following years of lobbying, Pacifi c Pacifi c governments were in tatters. governments also welcomed Austra- Relations with lian and New Zealand programs to and Solomon Islands were soured by open their labor markets to unskilled the pursuit by Australian offi cials of workers from the Pacifi c. New Zea- (an Australian lawyer land’s Recognised Seasonal Employer who was advisor and subsequently (rse) program for seasonal workers for Solomon’s Prime brings nearly 5,000 Islanders a year Minister ) over to pick fruit in orchards and vine- alleged criminal offenses. Austra- yards around the country. The August lian ministerial contact with Papua announcement of a pilot study for an New Guinea was banned after Prime Australian seasonal workers program Minister authorized means 2,500 Pacifi c workers will come

324 pol i t ical reviews • region in review 325 to Australia over the next three years rse seasonal worker program (Wilson to work in horticulture and fruit pick- 2008, 15). ing (Maclellan 2008). While maintaining its longstanding Relations with ties to , New Zealand has have improved, with a major joint increased economic and trade links ministerial meeting in March and with Melanesian countries, with trade the inclusion of Papua New Guinea increasing from nz$385 million in in Australia’s new seasonal workers 1987 to nz$600 million in 2008. New scheme. At the August 2008 Forum Zealand will join Australia to press leaders meeting in , Prime Minis- for greater trade liberalization in the ters Rudd and Somare signed the fi rst islands region (discussed below). of a series of “Pacifi c Partnerships for In the United States, the November Development”—bilateral agreements election of Barack Obama as president that Australia will negotiate over the and the swing to the Democratic Party next year with all Forum island coun- in the US House and Senate opened tries. By January 2009, these bilateral the way for a shift in focus toward the agreements had been fi nalized with Islands region. Papua New Guinea, Sämoa, , For many years under the Bush and Solomon Islands. administration, the United States The New Zealand elections saw maintained a policy of benign neglect the defeat of the Labour Party gov- toward the Island states of the south- ernment led by Prime Minister Helen west Pacifi c, while expanding its Clark, and the election of a coalition strategic role in the north Pacifi c with government under National Party missile testing at Kwajalein Atoll and Prime Minister John Key. The Mäori increased military deployments in Party, winning fi ve seats, has taken up . While the Obama administra- ministerial posts in the National-led tion will continue to focus on major government with Dr Pita Sharples as challenges including the domestic minister of Mäori affairs and associate economic crisis and relations with minister for health and corrections, Russia, , and the Middle East, and Mrs Tariana Turia as minister for there will be policy shifts on issues like the community and voluntary sector, climate change that may benefi t the associate minister of health, and asso- Islands region. ciate minister for social development The election of an African-Ameri- and employment. can to the White House sparked a Incoming Foreign Minister Murray wave of support and interest in the McCully stated that the New Zealand Pacifi c Islands as elsewhere around the government would increase its focus world. University of the South Pacifi c on aid and trade with the Pacifi c, and academic Som Prakash noted that “saw a much higher level of engage- the election was closely monitored in ment with the Pacifi c nations” (Wilson the Pacifi c: “There was a high level 2008, 16). New Minister for Pacifi c of interest because Obama is a black Islands Affairs Georgina Te Heuheu man. Pacifi c Islanders identifi ed with stated that the government would him and wanted to see him succeed” consider expanding New Zealand’s (Singh 2008). 326 the contemporary pacifi c • 21:2 (2009)

The relocation of US Marines elections of the Sikua government in from Okinawa to Guam, involving and the Rudd government in 8,000 troops and about 9,000 of their Australia, regional relations with the dependents over the next ten years, Solomon Islands rapidly improved. will impact on regional relations far While the intervention was largely beyond the local impact on the Cha- driven by Australian interests (Oxfam morro people of Guam. In May 2008, 2006, 20 –22), in 2008 Forum member the Government of Guam, the Secre- governments and the Sikua admin- tariat of the Pacifi c Community (spc), istration moved to strengthen and and the Pacifi c Islands Forum Secretar- also more clearly defi ne the role of iat (pifs) signed a letter of understand- Regional Assistance Mission to Solo- ing to determine how Pacifi c Island mon Islands (ramsi). countries can benefi t from the military During 2008, meetings of the relocation—a program costing over Enhanced Consultative Mechanism us$15 billion. Forum Deputy Secre- (ecm) and the Forum Ministerial tary-General Peter Forau noted: “The Standing Committee (fmsc) have been US is seeking 10,000 workers from the developing the proposed “Solomon Pacifi c to help Guam prepare for the Islands Government—ramsi Partner- relocation. The initial discussions with ship Framework” and jointly agreed the Guam authorities have led to an development strategies and objectives understanding for a quota of 10,000 (Forum Secretariat 2008a). Under the for the Pacifi c” (Baselala 2008). legislation establishing ramsi, the The Obama administration’s Offi ce of the Special Coordinator must potential engagement in global climate be headed by an Australian offi cial negotiations has also raised hopes in from the Department of Foreign a region facing serious impacts from Affairs and Trade. But Forum Island global warming. In the fi rst tele- countries have been seeking greater phone conversation between Aus- input and have agreed to appoint a tralian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Forum representative to Solomon and President Obama after the US Islands. president’s inauguration, both lead- The Forum has also continued the ers pledged closer cooperation on Pacifi c Regional Assistance to Nauru climate change and discussed the need (pran), sending a monitoring mission to work together in preparing for the for Nauru’s April 2008 election. next major UN conference on climate The biggest regional issue in 2008, change, to be held in Copenhagen in however, was relations with the post- December 2009 (aap, 28 Jan 2009). coup interim administration in Fiji. Under the principles of the 2000 Debate over the role of the military Biketawa Declaration, Pacifi c Islands and a return to parliamentary rule will Forum member countries contin- be a headache for some time to come, ued to intervene in Island states, but with Fiji facing possible suspension improved relations with Nauru and from the Forum because of the delay Solomon Islands were overshadowed in holding elections. During the year, by the ongoing crisis in Fiji. the of the Fiji Military After the 2007 Forum ramsi Forces, Commodore Voreqe Baini- Review Task Force Report and the marama (who also serves as prime pol i t ical reviews • region in review 327 minister and home affairs minister in preparations for the election and the the interim administration), repeatedly return to democracy” (Forum Sec- made clear his belief that elections can retariat 2008b). The contact group only be held when issues of corrup- met with the interim administration tion, electoral reform, and community in July and December, but the meet- harmony are resolved—claims that ings were largely unproductive—the are widely critiqued both within and diplomatic communiqué after the July outside Fiji. meeting described the talks as “frank The 2007 Forum established a and informative” (Forum Secretariat Forum-Fiji Working Group with 2008c). The sniping in both directions senior offi cials from Australia, Fed- continued, with the Fiji military reneg- erated States of Micronesia, Fiji, ing on past commitments, and Austra- Kiribati, New Zealand, Papua New lia and New Zealand enforcing visa Guinea, and . The work- bans on members of the interim Fiji ing group met regularly with Fijian administration. Diplomatic solutions offi cials in 2008 to discuss the election were not helped by ’s com- timetable and a series of outstanding parison of Commodore Bainimarama issues: the restoration of civilian rule, with Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe in upholding the 1997 Constitution, the the lead-up to the Niue Forum. cessation of human rights abuses and After attending the 2007 Forum in addressing allegations of abuse, and Nuku‘alofa and pledging to hold elec- support for a credible and indepen- tions by March 2009, Bainimarama dent anti-corruption commission. But started to snub regional leaders meet- members of the interim administra- ings. He declined to attend the August tion stressed that elections would be 2008 Forum leaders meeting in Niue, held only after reforms to the com- citing New Zealand’s refusal to allow munal voting system, the completion Fijian offi cials to meet in Auckland of the “People’s Charter” process, with donor countries after the Niue and a subsequent President’s Politi- meeting. Bainimarama also claimed cal Dialogue Forum (ppdf). In June, that his promise of elections by March the process faltered after a letter from 2009 had been “forced”—a statement Interim Prime Minister Bainimarama sharply denied by the outgoing Forum to then Forum Chair Prime Minister chair, Tongan Prime Minister Feleti Feleti Sevele of advised that Sevele: “Unfortunately, the Forum’s Fiji would no longer participate in the relationship with the interim govern- working group meetings. ment of Fiji has now deteriorated from The offi cials’ meetings were supple- the apparent, promising situation at mented by a higher level “Forum Min- the Forum last year in Tonga, to one isterial Contact Group on Fiji” made of disappointment and of an uncertain up of ministers from Australia, New future. As Forum Leaders, we are all Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Sämoa, extremely disappointed at the interim Tonga, and Tuvalu. The ministerial Prime Minister’s decision not to attend contact group, created at a Forum this Forum meeting” (Forum Secre- Foreign Affairs Ministers’ meeting in tariat 2008e). Auckland in March, was designed “to Bainimarama also refused to attend further monitor the progress of Fiji’s the special Forum leaders meeting in 328 the contemporary pacifi c • 21:2 (2009)

Port Moresby in January 2009, citing leaders like Papua New Guinea’s responsibilities at home with the natu- Michael Somare continued, but some ral disaster in Fiji (discussed below). Polynesian leaders (especially Sämoa’s The interim administration also sent Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and Ton- a shot across the bows of the Forum ga’s Feleti Sevele) were publicly critical by expelling the Australian publisher of the Fiji military’s actions. Fiji’s role of the , Rex Gardner, just as host of the Forum Secretariat, the before the January meeting and days presence of other regional institutions before he was due to end his current in , and Nadi’s position as a trans- work permit. This reinforced previous port hub and transit point for small deportations of two Australian pub- island states like Tuvalu and Kiribati lishers, Russell Hunter of the Fiji Sun all complicate the diplomatic pressure in February and Evan Hannah of the that can be applied. Fiji Times in May 2008. These actions Throughout 2008, major donors to and other restrictions on the media Fiji like Australia, New Zealand, the drew protests from media organiza- , and the United States tions across the region, with Pacifi c have been pushing hard for change, Islands News Association (pina) refusing to increase nonhumanitarian President Joseph Ealedona stating: aid, and maintaining travel sanctions “Fiji’s Interim Prime Minister Commo- on Fijian offi cials and interim minis- dore continues to ters and their families. Fiji’s economy ignore his promise of upholding media is reliant on aid, trade, remittances, freedom. The blatant attack on the and tourism from these countries, and Fourth Estate chips away at the tenets suspension would lead to ongoing of freedom of the media in Fiji and sanctions and a heavy economic toll. will hinder every effort to return the However, Fiji’s Military Council country to normalcy” (pina 2009). had not been rattled by previous At a special regional meeting in Australian and New Zealand saber January 2009, Forum leaders agreed rattling (best symbolized by the three that Fiji may face suspension from the Australian warships off the coast of regional organization if, by May 2009, Fiji in the lead-up to the December it does not announce a date for elec- 2006 coup). During his visit to Beijing tions before the end of the year. at the time of the 2008 Olympics, The potential suspension of a Bainimarama discussed Chinese aid founding member of the Forum is and loans as well as the Olympic unique in the organization’s thirty- results. International pressure on the eight-year history, and raises signifi - regime will be signifi cant, but changes cant issues. Island leaders have stressed in Fiji are more likely to be determined the need to maintain dialogue rather by what is happening inside the coun- than confrontation, but by the end of try, following the August resignation 2008 it was clear that Commodore of three ministers Bainimarama’s mercurial actions were from the interim administration— frustrating even the most committed including Interim Finance Minister supporters of the Pacifi c Way. Support and former Prime Minister Mahendra from Melanesian Spearhead Group Chaudhry. pol i t ical reviews • region in review 329

Fiji was not the Forum’s only to the post, Urwin had been charged headache. While work continued by Forum leaders with making the implementing the “Pacifi c Plan for Pacifi c Plan a reality. His appointment Strengthening Regional Cooperation in 2004 had been greeted with some and Integration,” the Pacifi c Islands concern, as it was seen as a signifi cant Forum and other members of the Australian intervention in Forum Council of Regional Organisations affairs since the -general’s in the Pacifi c (crop) faced signifi cant position had historically been held by problems during 2008. an Islander. But the news of Urwin’s Forum offi cials had to deal with a passing was marked with plaudits crunch affecting the long-term sustain- from around the Pacifi c, acknowledg- able funding of the Forum Secretariat, ing his commitment to the Pacifi c which has a budget of nearly f$30 Islands during a long career as a diplo- million. In July, acting Forum Sec- mat, development worker, and friend retary-General expressed of the region. concern about “the continuation of There were three nominees to the presently unsustainable situation replace Urwin at the Forum Secretar- that the Secretariat faces with respect iat: of Sämoa, to member contributions not keep- Feleti Teo of Tuvalu, and Wilkie Ras- ing pace with rising costs” (Forum mussen of the . Forum Secretariat 2008d). Forum offi cials leaders appointed Tuiloma Neroni developed a new pifs Corporate Plan Slade as the new secretary-general at 2008–2012 to cut the previous nine their thirty-ninth meeting in Niue in programs into four more focused August. A former attorney general of and strategic programs: economic Sämoa, Neroni Slade has had a long governance; political governance career on the international stage, as and security; corporate services; and senior legal adviser at the Common- the regional coordination role of the wealth Secretariat, as Sämoa’s ambas- Secretariat. sador to the , and most The budgetary problems high- recently as a judge in the International lighted the dilemma that Forum Criminal Court. As former chair of the Island countries contribute a relatively Alliance of Small Island States (aosis), small part of the Secretariat’s work- he has vital international networks ing budget, while overseas donors that will aid Pacifi c countries as they con tribute signifi cant resources for move toward the December 2009 cli- programs, staffi ng, and travel—with mate negotiations in Copenhagen. the risk that donor agendas can over- Other crop agencies also faced shadow Island priorities. leadership and budgetary issues The Forum was rocked by the throughout the year. The Univer- August 2008 death of Secretary-Gen- sity of the South Pacifi c (usp) faced eral . Following ill health, signifi cant fi nancial cutbacks. The usp Urwin withdrew from active service, Senate and Council abolished ninety- then formally announced his retire- eight courses in 2008, with cuts to ment in July, but passed away the staffi ng mooted at the end of the year. following month. On his appointment Ongoing discussions over the merger 330 the contemporary pacifi c • 21:2 (2009) of the Pacifi c Regional Environment barriers to agricultural trade and trade Programme (sprep) and the Pacifi c in services—had led to the collapse of Islands Applied Geoscience Commis- the Doha negotiations, and the trade sion (sopac) were unresolved. This agenda in the Pacifi c is largely being was highlighted in media coverage of played out through regional pacts such the leadership of the two agencies, as as the Pacifi c Island Countries Trade sopac Director Cristelle Pratt was Agreement (picta), the Pacifi c Agree- offered the sprep directorship when ment on Closer Economic Relations the outgoing director—the Feder- (pacer), pacer-Plus, and the Euro- ated States of Microne sia’s Asterio pean Union (EU)–African, Caribbean, Takesy—ended his term. By year’s and Pacifi c (acp) Economic Partner- end, Pratt decided to stay with sopac ship Agreement (epa). rather than move to leadership of Throughout 2008, negotiations the -based regional environment continued over fi nalizing the regional agency (Islands Business 2009). Economic Partnership Agreement with The issue of leadership will continue the European Union. Even though to haunt the intergovernmental organi- economic partnership agreements zations. At the Forum leaders meeting in Africa, the Caribbean, and the in Niue, Australia and New Zealand Pacifi c were supposed to be fi nalized argued that the deputy secretary-gener- by December 2007, most were still al’s position should be held by an Aus- not completed at the end of 2008. At tralian or New Zealand citizen. This the acp Assembly in Port Moresby push reaffi rmed concern among some in November 2008, acp Secretary- members about heavy-handed infl u- General Sir John Kaputin of Papua ence from the two largest members of New Guinea expressed disquiet at the the Forum. With Australia hosting the process so far: “Heads of State were Forum leaders in August 2009 (for the concerned that undue pressure was fi rst time in fi fteen years), tensions will being put on some acp States to move likely continue over the role of Austra- forward to signing and ratifi cation of lia and New Zealand. the epas before legitimate concerns In recent years, Pacifi c Island were adequately addressed in a way countries have increasingly focused that creates conditions for all acp on trade liberalization as a central States to become part of Agreements pillar of efforts to promote regional that genuinely contribute to growth, integration and cooperation. The development and the advancement of growing debate over “free trade” in . acp has negoti- the Islands region has been framed ated in good faith based on political by principles from the World Trade expression at the highest level in the Organization (wto). Negotiation of EU [; however] it is when we get to the regional free trade agreements was negotiation table that we realize that supposed to follow the completion of there is a great gulf between the rheto- the wto’s Doha Development Round ric and actual practice” (acp 2008). (multilateral trade negotiations that Trade justice groups like the Pacifi c began in 2001). But by 2008, global Network on Globalisation (pang) differences—especially on reducing have joined Pacifi c governments to pol i t ical reviews • region in review 331 raise concern about the epa negotia- In policy statements from Australia tions. pang argued that rhetoric about and New Zealand, increased trade and “sustainable development” is not evi- “open economies” are also presented dent in negotiating drafts put forward as a way to address the lack of eco- by EU trade negotiators, who have nomic growth and social development rejected proposals advanced by Pacifi c in Island nations. Australia’s incom- governments to address their specifi c ing parliamentary secretary for Pacifi c needs (pang 2008). The European Islands affairs, Duncan Kerr, argued in Union has tried to use the epa process April: “Trade is good. Open markets to open the way for European corpo- do matter. In the long term, it is trade rations to access the services sector more than development assistance that and to introduce provisions through will reduce poverty. Open trade opens the regional economic partnership doors. Making trade easier and remov- agreements—on services, intellectual ing excessive regulations can have property rights, government procure- enormous benefi ts. . . . More trade ment, and investment—that were will result in economic growth in the rebuffed in the multilateral Doha Pacifi c and for its people. It will reduce negotiations by larger developing dependency and lead to more prosper- countries such as Brazil, South Africa, ity and sustainability” (Kerr 2008). and . The Pacifi c Agreement on Closer The Pacifi c acp States have reaf- Economic Relations (pacer), signed fi rmed their commitment to continue by most Forum members in 2001, the negotiations of an economic part- will now be extended into a free trade nership agreement “as a single region” agreement dubbed pacer-Plus. Fol- based on existing negotiating posi- lowing the Pacifi c acp Trade Ministers tions (Forum Secretariat 2008f ). But meeting in Nadi in April 2008, the there are cracks in the regional unity Forum Secretariat has been mandated over trade. Under pressure because of to carry out a study on the idea of a potential job losses in the sugar and Pacifi c Single Market and Economy tuna export industries if they did not (psme). Meeting with then New Zea- concede, the Pacifi c’s largest countries, land Prime Minister Helen Clark en Fiji and Papua New Guinea, split route to the Niue Forum, Kevin Rudd ranks with other Pacifi c nations to stated, “I want to see us working more sign an interim deal on trade-in-goods closely together bilaterally, driving with the European Union at the end of towards the single economic market” 2007. The Interim Partnership Agree- (Rudd 2008). ment allows for 100 percent liber- Even as regional negotiators are alization by value by the European stretched over the epa negotiations, Union as of 1 January 2008, with Australian and New Zealand offi cials transition periods for rice and sugar. want to start moving on pacer-Plus, It allows for 88 percent liberalization under pressure from corporate inter- by value by Papua New Guinea and ests that see European companies 80 percent liberalization by Fiji over a moving in sectors that have long been time period of fi fteen years (European dominated by the Oceanic powers. Commission 2007). The push for pacer-Plus negotiations 332 the contemporary pacifi c • 21:2 (2009) has met resistance from some Pacifi c aspirations of the people of the Pacifi c, governments who are wary of the in the view of Pacifi c ngos, Churches social and economic impacts of full and Trade Unions, is in direct viola- regional economic integration (Nathan tion of the principles of good gover- Associates 2007). Some Pacifi c ana- nance. Such inequitable trade agree- lysts have raised eyebrows at Austra- ments pose grave risks for our people lia’s training of Island offi cials as trade and future generations” (cso Forum negotiators, so they can negotiate the 2008). free trade deal with Australia (pang In a year of fl uctuating prices for 2008). Island governments are push- food and oil, small island develop- ing for the early appointment of a ing states in the Pacifi c faced renewed chief trade adviser to look at alterna- problems from climatic change and tive options for trade and develop- natural disaster. Lying just a few ment (because of Australia and New meters above sea level, atoll nations Zealand’s Forum membership, the in the Pacifi c are particularly vulner- Forum Secretariat will not be able to able to even small changes in global play the same role as a focal point for climatic patterns. The threat of major advice and support on pacer as it did sea-level rise in coming years means in the epa negotiations). that small island developing states But the push for increased trade are on the front lines when it comes liberalization, structural adjustment, to being affected by global climate and public sector reform is raising change. concern among Pacifi c nongovernmen- With natural weather variability, tal organizations, churches, and trade countries already face severe economic unions. Civil society organizations losses from extreme weather events are beginning to question the impacts like storm surges, cyclones, and king on indigenous land, resource owners, tides. Predicted increases in sea- and poorer sections of the community. level rise and the intensity of natural Pacifi c civil society organizations are disasters like cyclones will exacerbate coordinating regionally to develop a existing problems. coherent critique of the new free trade In late 2008 and early 2009, there agenda. An August civil society forum were a series of fl ooding events around issued a statement on trade justice, the region that brought home the stressing: “Pacifi c ngos, churches impact of these changing climatic con- and trade unions working on trade ditions. Annual king tides combined justice issues are concerned about the with storm surges and heavy rain from push for free trade agreements in the tropical depressions to fl ood coastal Pacifi c and the grave risk that these areas in several island nations: agreements pose for our people.... The hard line approach taken by the • In Papua New Guinea, the gov- European Commission on behalf of ernment allocated k50 million in the European Union, and signals that relief and recovery funds follow- Australia and New Zealand are likely ing massive sea swells in Decem- to take a similar approach in put- ber 2008. (At that time, the ting their own economic and business PNG kina was the equivalent of interests ahead of the development us$.40.) More than 38,000 peo- pol i t ical reviews • region in review 333

ple were affected by fl ooding and weather events and natural over 2,000 houses were destroyed disasters. or damaged in provinces along • By February 2009, Solomon the northern New Guinea coast Islands declared a national disas- (including West Sepik, East ter when eight people died and Sepik, Madang, and Morobe) another thirteen went missing and Islands region (New Ireland, after fl ooding and torrential rain Manus, and the Autonomous damaged homes and bridges on Region of Bougainville). the main island of . • In the and the Flooding on Guadalcanal and Federated States of Micronesia, a Savo Island led to the evacuation was declared of more than seventy villagers as widespread fl ooding displaced to Honiara, with the Red Cross, hundreds of people in December. Australia, and providing A combination of three-meter emergency aid. waves and heavy storms fl ooded Majuro and Ebeye in the Mar- Such cyclones, storm surges, shall Islands, and the US Federal and heavy rains particularly impact Emergency Management Agency low-lying agricultural land. As FSM and Australia sent emergency President Emanuel Mori told the UN supplies to assist with disaster General Assembly in September: “The recovery. nexus between food security and • In Fiji, people fl ed to higher climate change cannot be overlooked. ground as torrential rains caused In Micronesia, the farmlands and fl ash fl ooding in January 2009, the inhabitants occupy the low-lying killing eight people and displac- fringes and islands barely a few meters ing thousands, with direct effects above sea level. Taro patches which on more than 116,328 people provide the main staple of our people in Viti Levu’s Western Division for centuries are now under threat by and 30,667 people in the Central sea-level rise. Already, many islands Division. Fiji’s interim admin- have experienced inundations of their istration declared a state of taro patches and other food crops by emergency and imposed curfews salt water, resulting in decreased crop to stop looting, as Interim Prime production” (Mori 2008). Minister Bainimarama said the In response, government lead- fl ooding was considered “the ers have increased their diplomatic worst ever in Fiji’s history” efforts at regional and international (Interim Government of Fiji levels, in economies already buffeted 2009). As well as damage to food by rising prices for kerosene and supplies and the sugar crop, the imported foods. At the August 2008 fl oods disrupted international Forum meeting in Niue, Forum leaders tourism. The government’s tally endorsed “The Niue Declaration on of damage in the Fiji fl oods, run- Climate Change.” ning to tens of millions of dollars, The annual meeting of Pacifi c highlights the threat to develop- Forum Economic Ministers, held in ing countries from increased October in Port Vila, , focused 334 the contemporary pacifi c • 21:2 (2009) especially on food and energy security Convention on Climate Change in in the region. Regional energy experts Poznan, Poland, calling on industrial- met in Auckland, New Zealand, that ized nations to act on “the greatest same month to continue planning for challenge that humanity has ever regional bulk procurement of petro- known.” Prime Minister Ielemia was leum by Pacifi c Island countries, in equally forthright at the conference. In an attempt to offset damage to Island a speech to the conference plenary, he economies from fl uctuating global oil argued that there is a need for easier prices. access to the proposed Adaptation Countries like Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Fund, which will provide resources to Vanuatu, which hold Least Developed developing countries for adaptation Country (ldc) status at the United programs: “[Small Island Developing Nations, used the opening of the 2008 States] like Tuvalu need direct access UN General Assembly in September and expeditious disbursement of to argue for the recognition of the funding for real adaptation urgently vulnerability criterion as the para- because we are suffering already from mount criterion for determining ldc the effects of climate change. How else status. Pacifi c governments, working can we say it more clearly! It seems through the Alliance of Small Island however that some key industrialized States (aosis) were forthright on the states are trying to make the Adapta- need for greater support from devel- tion Fund inaccessible to those most oped countries for adaptation funding in need. I am compelled to say we are to cope with the increased impacts deeply disappointed with the manner of global warming. Speaking to the some of our partners are burying us in UN General Assembly in September, red tape. This is totally unacceptable” Tuvalu Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia (Ielemia 2008b). stated: “It is very clear that fi nancial nic maclellan resources for adaptation are com- pletely inadequate. Last year Oxfam International suggested that the adap- References tation needs of developing countries will cost a minimum of us$50 billion aap, Australian Associated Press. 2009. per year. . . . We believe new and Rudd, Obama Pledge to Team Up on additional sources of funding must be Climate. aap, 28 January. identifi ed and channeled through the acp, Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific. 2008. recently established Adaptation Fund epa Concerns Highlighted at acp Assem- to help fund concrete adaptation proj- bly. acp media release, Port Moresby, 24 ects in-country to adapt to the impacts November. of climate change, while ensuring long Baselala, Elenoa. 2009. Relocation Delay term survival and livelihoods in our Good News to Pacific. Islands Business, God-given lands” (Ielemia 2008a) January. Leaders of low-lying atoll nations cso Forum. 2008. Pacific Civil Society in the Pacifi c also spoke out on climate Organizations’ Statement on Trade change at the December 2008 confer- Justice, Auckland, New Zealand, 12–14 ence of parties to the UN Framework August. pol i t ical reviews • region in review 335

European Commission. 2007. Update: Kerr, Duncan. 2008. Launch of Pacific Interim Economic Partnership Agreements. Economic Survey 2008. Speech presented Trade Policy in Practice: Global Europe. at the Pacific Economic Survey 2008, Port Brussels: Directorate General for Trade, Vila, Vanuatu, April. European Commission, 13 December. Maclellan, Nic. 2008. Workers for All Sea- Available online at http://trade.ec.europa sons? New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal .eu/doclib/docs/2007/november/tradoc Employer (RSE) Program. Working Paper, _136959.pdf Institute for Social Research, Swinburne Forum Secretariat. 2008a. Solomon Islands University, May. Government, ramsi and Pacific Islands Mori, Emanuel. 2008. Address by Forum to discuss ramsi. Forum Secretariat H. E. Emanuel Mori, President of the press statement (57/08), 12 July. Federated States of Micronesia, before ———. 2008b. Forum Ministerial Contact the 63rd United Nations General Assem- Group on Fiji to Meet with Fiji Interim bly, New York, 25 September. FSM Government. Forum Secretariat press Government Web site: http://www statement (58/08), 12 July. .fsmgov.org/fsmun/ga63_main.htm ———. 2008c. Forum Ministerial Contact Nathan Associates. 2007. Pacific Regional Group Visit to Fiji. Forum Secretariat press Trade and Economic Co-operation. Report statement (62/08), 16 July. to Forum Secretariat, December. ———. 2008d. foc discusses Forum Oxfam. 2006. Bridging the Gap between Members’ Contribution Positioning Paper. State and Society: New Directions for Forum Secretariat press statement (73/08), the Solomon Islands. Melbourne: Oxfam 24 July. Australia. ———. 2008e. Pacific Forum Clarifies pang, Pacific Network on Globalisation. Commitments by Fiji Interim pm. Forum 2008. Social Impact Assessment of the Secretariat press statement (85/08), 19 Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) August. Being Negotiated between the European Community and Pacific ACP States. Suva: ———. 2008f. Pacific acp States Commit- pang. ted to Continue Negotiating epa with EU as Single Region. Forum Secretariat press pina, Pacific Islands News Association. statement (116/08), 24 October. 2009. Newspaper Publisher Rex Gardner Deported in Latest Crackdown on Media. Ielemia, Apisai. 2008a. Statement to the pina press release, 28 January. General Debate of the 63rd UN General Assembly, 27 September. Rudd, Kevin. 2008. Speech to Australian and New Zealand ceos, Auckland Cham- ———. 2008b. Statement to the UN ber of Commerce, 19 August. Framework on Climate Change Con- ference of Parties, Poznan, Poland, 11 Singh, Shailendra. 2008. Obama Win December. Inspirational. InterPress Service report, 7 November. Interim Government of Fiji. 2009. Taskforce to Oversee Rehabilitation and Wilson, Duncan. 2008–2009. Ramping up Rebuilding Work. Media release, 12 Focus on NZ Pacific Islands. Pacific Con- February. nection [Pacific Cooperation Foundation], issue 18, December 2008–February 2009. Islands Business. 2009. sopac It Is! Whis- pers Column. Islands Business, January.