皇冠体育app

皇冠体育app PIF is an annual meeting of 16 countries of the South Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand, and is the main opportunity for Pacific governments to exchange views on issues of common interest including regional stability, security, trade, governance and development.

This year, the main theme for the Forum will be vulnerability in the region, which will focus on the region鈥檚 response to climate change, and in particular access to post Copenhagen fast start resources to mitigate the risks confronting vulnerable island countries. 皇冠体育appre will also be discussion of performance against the Millennium Development Goals and economic issues.

皇冠体育app UK attends as a Pacific Island Forum Dialogue Partner along with 12 other dialogue partners, including representatives of the US, EU and China. 皇冠体育app UK鈥檚 high level attendance ensures that our key messages are delivered effectively, including that:

• 皇冠体育app UK is committed to ensuring the voice of countries vulnerable to global warming is heard and encourages PIF countries to work with the UK to get a positive outcome at the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun
• 皇冠体育app UK, together with the EU, will support economic development in the Pacific particularly by building regional capacity for trade and other international negotiations
• 皇冠体育app UK wants an early return to democracy and respect for human rights in Fiji

In a busy schedule over four days, Lord Howell will meet numerous Heads of State and other ministers from member countries and donor partners. 皇冠体育app PIF will also provide the Minister with the opportunity to discuss UK plans to reinvigorate the Commonwealth as 10 of the 16 states taking part in the forum are members of the Commonwealth.

皇冠体育app UK has strong historical links with the Pacific, and works closely with Pacific Island states through organisations such as the Commonwealth, the EU and the UN on shared objectives, such as climate change and the Millennium Development goals. Ministerial attendance at the PIF is an important way of underling the UK鈥檚 continued commitment to the region.

皇冠体育app PIF was founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum. In 2000, the name was changed to the Pacific Islands Forum to better reflect the geographic location of its members in the north and south Pacific. Founding members of the Pacific Islands Forum were Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, New Zealand, Tonga and Western Samoa - now Samoa.