Letter: Micronesia was right to leave Pacific Island Forum
Umerei Andres
The Pacific Island Forum is in disarray after the Micronesian sub-region, which makes up a third of its organization, walked out of the forum due to a dishonor in a longstanding convention in leadership cycle.
Founded in 1971, the Pacific Island Forum’s leadership title of secretary general has been held mostly by Polynesian candidates. This year’s election, Micronesia was up for the title. But to the small northern Pacific islands’ disappointment, a long standing “gentlemen’s agreement” was not upheld. Over the years, it seems this agreement has been overlooked many times. Since this organization was founded, only one term, between the years of 1992-1998, has been served by a member of the sub-region of Micronesia as the secretary general.
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There are many ways to respond to a serious crisis, but hyperbole and panic should not be among them. Some commentators have elevated the leadership controversy within the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) to an existential threat to Pacific regionalism. Hyperbole with a touch of panic?
For me, these analyses called to mind Agent Kay’s calming advice to Jay in the film
Men in Black about handling an existential crisis. ‘There’s always an Arquillian Battle Cruiser, or a Corillian Death Ray, or an intergalactic plague that is about to wipe out all life’ on earth.
I have worked regularly on the regional architecture for most of my academic career, many times as an adviser to PIF governments. Although not at its formation, I had the opportunity to interview every island leader there on their expectations for the nascent association at the second South Pacific Forum meeting in Canberra in February 1972.
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