A number of declarations are expected to be signed by members of the Melanesian Spearhead Group this Friday when the summit ends.
Prime Minister James Marape will be flying into Vanuatu tomorrow (Tuesday 22. August 23) to join other leaders of MSG countries for the official opening.
The 22nd Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders’ Summit and related meetings commenced in Port Vila as scheduled
- 18th August – Senior Officials Meeting
- 19th to 20th August – Pre-Summit Senior Officials Meeting (SOM)
- 21st August – Foreign Minister’s Meeting (FMM) today (21.08.23
- 22nd August – Official Opening of Leader’s Summit
- 23rd August – Plenary Sessions
- 24th August – Leader’s Retreat
Vice Minister assisting Prime Minister Muguwa Dilu is currently presenting Papua New Guinea at the MSG Meetings.
Dilu told MSG leaders in his opening statement for member countries to take ownership of development issues and provide leadership in pursuing the objectives of the MSG.
“The theme (Being Relevant and Influential ) resonates well, the need for the MSG to remain focused and bolster the efforts towards the common goal of building a stronger and resilient MSG family that is responsive to the needs and aspirations of its people, said Dilu.
He added that MSG must provide market opportunities, empower its people and strategically open up the MSG region, wherever possible to the world to seize economic opportunities to building back better economic resilience post COVID-19 through strategic economic partnership.”
Today’s FMM opened with statements from Fiji, Solomon Islands, PNG, Vanuatu, FLNKS, and Indonesia, before leaders went into a ‘Closed Session’ where in-depth concerns were raised on environment and climate change, security issues, and trade agreements, besides an operational report from the MSG Secretariat.
Other documents that are expected to signed on Friday include;
- An Outcomes Declarations
- A Declaration on Climate Change
- Concord for Peace, Mutual Respect, Cooperation and Amity.
MSG members include, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and FLNKS (Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front) and Indonesian Indonesia as an Associate member.
Recent: https://insidepng.com/research-and-conservation-of-pngs-biodiversity/