GPIP - Groupe des Parlements des Îles du Pacifique

27/08/2025

26/08/2025

08/02/2025

🇫🇯🇸🇧🇵🇼🇵🇫🇹🇴 | 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 (𝐏𝐈𝐏𝐆)

👉 The Assembly of French Polynesia hosted the working group meeting on February 5 and 6, 2025, dedicated to the restructuring of the Pacific Islands Parliaments Group (PIPG).

🗣 This working group was established following the 4th GPIP Conference, held in Palau 🇵🇼 in August 2024.

✅ During this conference, the member parliaments unanimously adopted the Ngibtal Declaration, mandating a group of five parliaments (Fiji 🇫🇯, Solomon Islands 🇸🇧, Palau 🇵🇼, French Polynesia 🇵🇫, and Tonga 🇹🇴) to analyze restructuring options to strengthen PIPG and ensure its autonomy and long-term sustainability.

✨ Under the chairmanship of Hon. Antony GEROS, the discussions in Papeete brought together:

🇫🇯 Hon. Filimone JITOKO, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Fiji ;
🇸🇧 Hon. Patteson John OTI, Speaker of the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands ;
🇵🇼 Hon. Sebastian MARINO, Chair of the Commission on maritime affairs, climate change, and protected areas, representing the Speakers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of Palau ;
🇹🇴 Lord FAKAFANUA, Speaker of the Parliament of Tonga.

🔎 The participants first discussed the short-term objectives and long-term vision of the organization. They reaffirmed the need to establish PIPG as a genuine interparliamentary platform, enabling all Pacific Islands parliaments to meet, exchange, and coordinate their actions. They emphasized the importance of strengthening and expanding PIPG’s mandate, both institutionally and thematically, to better address regional and global challenges. The stated ambition is to make PIPG a fully-fledged interparliamentary organization, with a structured and recognized framework, giving Pacific legislatures an active role in the regional system and a voice on the international stage.

🤝 To achieve this, the working group members highlighted the need for PIPG to acquire an appropriate legal status. In this regard, the establishment of an immediate structure was considered to ensure its operational functioning while awaiting the definition of a long-term institutional framework.

⚖️ Additionally, the internal organization and decision-making processes were discussed. The working group members stressed the need to improve governance mechanisms by clarifying the roles and responsibilities of governing bodies. The goal is to establish a more inclusive, effective, and transparent governance system, ensuring a better balance among members.

🏦 The issue of PIPG’s funding and resources was also addressed. The discussions focused on identifying sustainable funding sources and mobilizing adequate resources to ensure the stability of PIPG’s activities. The members expressed the desire to progressively achieve financial autonomy. They also highlighted the importance of mobilizing technical support and relevant expertise to assist in the development of the parliamentary group.

🔄 Finally, the participants discussed opportunities for cooperation with regional and international organizations. Constructive exchanges took place regarding possible synergies with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP), the Pacific Community (SPC), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

📜 The conclusions and recommendations from these discussions will be shared with all PIPG members for review. An official validation of the new PIPG structure's statutes is scheduled for the next PIPG Conference, to be held in August 2025 in Fiji.