The Commonwealth and the Pacific - partners for progress

The collegiality, flexibility and trust between the Commonwealth and the Pacific Forum are founded on shared values and responses to collective challenges, said Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma.

Addressing the 39th Pacific Islands Forum Summit in Alofi, Niue, on 19 August 2008, the Secretary-General stressed that the Commonwealth remains committed in its work to promote democracy and development.

Mr Sharma said he would like to see further development in the Commonwealth's engagement in the Pacific in three areas, the first of which is continued assistance to small states in addressing challenges by helping to determine persistent vulnerabilities; by diagnosing creative and effective responses; and in building coalitions of collective strength of small states in the global arena.

The Secretary-General told Pacific Islands Forum leaders that the Commonwealth will continue to provide technical assistance to improve the capacity of the Pacific Islands in their trade policy development and trade negotiations in international forums, including the World Trade Organization (WTO) and regional trade agreements. A regional trade adviser has been placed at the Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji Islands, working closely with regional trade policy analysts deployed in various Pacific Island countries, working in tandem with governments.

Mr Sharma said the Commonwealth Secretariat also wished to explore the possibility of co-locating offices with the Forum Secretariat as the feasibility of establishing a Small States office in Geneva, Switzerland, is explored in order to facilitate access by such countries to UN agencies and the WTO headquarters.

The Secretary-General said the second area of the Commonwealth's focus is on the environment and the impacts of climate change. He stated that the Lake Victoria Climate Change Action Plan agreed upon by Commonwealth Heads of Government in Kampala, Uganda, in November 2007 is focused on mitigation and adaptation. Mr Sharma added that some Pacific Islands negotiators were brought together in a Commonwealth workshop in Windsor, UK, in May this year to strengthen their knowledge of issues and their capacity to promote national interests in preparation for the continued global negotiations on a post-Kyoto climate change regime.

"We are launching new programmes on land management and forestation. We are studying the environmental impact of exporting agricultural produce: the battles over exports are not now just about preferential tariffs and prices, but also about carbon footprints. We are ready to discuss with you national studies of options in environmental policies, should you find this useful," said Mr Sharma.

In addition to these, he added that the Commonwealth is supporting natural disaster management through the development by the Commonwealth Disaster Management Agency of a disaster management information portal, as well as an insurance proposal for compensation in the event of a predefined disaster.

The Secretary-General said the Commonwealth is also lobbying for stronger and more coherent global governance in the field of environment and development. A meeting of 11 Commonwealth leaders was held in London in June which called for the reform of global institutions such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and the UN Environment Programme to meet the needs of the 21st century. Mr Sharma said these institutions play a key role in development and in governing the environment.

The third area of Commonwealth focus with the Pacific in future is the development of information and partnership networks to link governments, civil society, businesses and individuals, said the Secretary-General. He stated that the Commonwealth aims to maximise the quality of its shared knowledge and wisdom. This was demonstrated in the publication of a report by the Commonwealth Commission on Respect and Understanding in 2007 titled 'Civil Paths to Peace'. The study led by Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen examined the causes of tension in societies brought about by religious, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, ageist, sexist and geographic differences. It pointed to the multiple identities that can bind people together in harmony and peaceful co-existence.

The Secretary-General said the Pacific is an important region of the Commonwealth. In particular, the Commonwealth remained engaged in Fiji Islands in pursuing the restoration of constitutional democratic government. Mr Sharma added that the new Commonwealth Pacific Governance Programme is aimed at supporting the governance pillar of the Pacific Plan, complementing the activities of the Forum Secretariat and other regional actors. He added that a project manager is being appointed under this programme, who will be based in Suva.

"The Commonwealth will continue to remain interested, concerned, supportive and active. I look forward to working with the new Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General. We will remain engaged in the spirit of collegiality, flexibility and trust," said Mr Sharma.

Full text of speech

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• Pacific Islands Forum