Washington DC, 23 September 2022 (TDI): Ministers and representatives of Members and Observers of Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP), convened a meeting to discuss the implementation of Partners in the Blue Pacific on Thursday.
Germany and Canada intend to join the Partners in the Blue Pacific program. Meanwhile, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States welcomed their increased focus and commitment via the Ministerial meeting.
Emerging challenges require cooperation across borders. That’s why the U.S., Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the UK established a new coordination mechanism, the Partners in the Blue Pacific, to expand opportunities, support Pacific priorities, and bolster the broader region. pic.twitter.com/gZkUN1Zmta
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) September 22, 2022
Proceedings of the Meeting
During the meeting, the partners reaffirmed that the inclusive, informal mechanism will be governed by the Pacific Island Forum’s 2050 Continent Strategy and the Pacific’s existing regional architecture.
The Ministers remarked that Partners in the Blue Pacific aspires to more effectively and efficiently serve the Pacific area and its priorities.
During the meeting, six proposed Lines of Effort and beginning projects for PBP were discussed in accordance with the Forum’s 2050 Strategy’s subject areas.
The efforts discussed were, Climate Variation Disasters, Adaptation, and Resilience,
Secure and Resilient Connectivity and Technology, Oceanic and Environmental Protection and Human Centric Development. It also included Resources and Economic Growth along with Political Leadership and Regionalism.
Also read: 51st Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting
Participants explored various initiatives that may initially be considered under the informal and inclusive Partners in the Blue Pacific.
Pacific humanitarian warehousing to preposition humanitarian and emergency supplies, an annual Pacific cyber capacity conference, additional support to the Pacific Climate Change Centre in Samoa, and assistance to access climate finance, all were discussed in the meeting.
Participants decided to continue discussing prospective initiatives in 2022 depending on the Pacific Islands’ desired timeframes.
The Blue Pacific group is a project between the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom to address pressing issues in the Pacific, such as climate change and illegal fishing.
In addition to all the proceedings, US officials stated that the leaders of Pacific nations have been invited to Washington for a two-day summit with the President of the United States, Joe Biden, and other administration officials.
