Pacific Leaders’ 2014 call for a deepened regionalism has never been more pressing as the world debates a global response to the climate crisis and a sustainable development future, in a context of shifting geopolitics.
Recent global climate discussions in Lima, Peru have highlighted the importance of a collective, unified Pacific voice if countries are to ensure a sustainable future for island peoples, whether in the form of access to climate and development finance or in terms of collective political action on issues fundamental to the very existence of the peoples of this region.
There is growing consensus that effective regionalism engages a range of stakeholders including governments, civil society, the private sector and regional and international partners. The mechanics of strengthened regionalism require inclusive processes of identifying issues that demand a truly regional and innovative response.
In July 2014, the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) Leaders’ 45th meeting in Palau endorsed the formation of a Specialist Sub-Committee for Regionalism (SSCR). The SSCR’s purpose is to play a key role in implementing the Framework for Pacific Regionalism by identifying and assessing priority initiatives to advance Pacific regionalism for Leaders’ consideration. It will be composed of suitably-skilled representatives from each sub-region, Australia or New Zealand, a Smaller Island State, civil society and the private sector, with the PIF Secretary General as the Sub-Committee Chair.
The Forum Secretariat is calling for nominations of nationals of Forum Member and Associate Member countries forSSCR membership. The deadline for submissions is 30 January 2015.
For further details please visit http://www.forumsec.org/pages.
Please direct any queries to info@forumsec.org
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