Micronesian leaders have received an apology from their colleagues in the Pacific Islands Forum.
In what has been described as a frank and open political dialogue on Monday the Forum leaders aimed to heal the wounds caused by the selection of the Cook Islands’ Henry Puna as the new secretary-general of the agency.
Micronesia’s leaders believed they had a commitment that their candidate, Gerald Zackios from the Marshall Islands, would be named secretary-general.
In February, the five Micronesian members of the Forum announced they would leave in protest at the selection.
But in a virtual meeting, dubbed the Troika Plus dialogue, on Monday, the Micronesian leaders heard apologies from Papua New Guinea’s James Marape, Fiji’s Voreqe Bainimarama, Samoa’s Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Mailielegaoi and the outgoing Secretary-General Dame Meg Taylor.
Micronesian leaders have received an apology from their colleagues in the Pacific Islands Forum.
In what has been described as a frank and open political dialogue on Monday the Forum leaders aimed to heal the wounds caused by the selection of the Cook Islands Henry Puna as the new secretary general of the agency.
Micronesia s leaders believed they had a commitment that their candidate, Gerald Zackios from the Marshall Islands, would be named secretary general. In February, the five Micronesian members of the Forum announced they would leave in protest at the selection.
But in a virtual meeting, dubbed the Troika Plus dialogue, on Monday, the Micronesian leaders heard apologies from Papua New Guinea s James Marape, Fiji s Frank Bainimarama, Samoa s Tuila epa Sa ilele Mailielegaoi and the outgoing secretary general Dame Meg Taylor.
Pacific leaders apologise to Micronesia after forum chooses Cook Islands candidate as new leader newshub.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newshub.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Palau, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia are pointing the finger at the likes of New Zealand and Australia, accusing them of influencing the vote that resulted in their candidate being snubbed for the forum s top job.
Today
The Detail s Jessie Chiang talks to RNZ Pacific news editor, Koro Vaka uta, about why the leadership vote was about so much more than just a position; and what the Micronesian absence could mean. Since 1971 there s only been one Micronesian representative as secretary general, he says.
The Forum has “managed to reach consensus on this position all but one time . but this vote it was so close nine to eight in favour of the Cook Islands Henry Puna.
“Since 1971 there s only been one Micronesian representative as secretary general,” he says. The Forum has “managed to reach consensus on this position all but one time . but this vote it was so close nine to eight in favour of the Cook Islands Henry Puna.” Losing out to Puna was Micronesian candidate Gerald Zackios from the Marshall Islands, which has formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan. That’s a position that Palau president Surangel Whipps Jr has referred to in a recent article in
The Guardian, suggesting some members are bowing down to the shadowy influence on China in the Pacific by voting against Zackios.