Cook Islands Foreign Affairs Minister Tingika Elikana. [ Source: PIF]

Cook Islands Foreign Affairs Minister Tingika Elikana, highlights the critical need for advancing dialogue on regional priorities and fostering inter-regional cooperation for global recognition.

Leading the 5th PALM Ministerial Interim Meeting in Suva, Elikana emphasizes reflecting on PALM9 commitments and looking forward to PALM10 for future vision and priorities discussion.

This is the first collective engagement at a Ministerial level between the Pacific Islands Forum and the Japanese Government since intense bilateral engagements in 2023.

Elikana reiterates the Pacific Islands Forum’s commitment to the 2050 Strategy and its Implementation Plan, emphasizing that these frameworks now guide the partnerships sought and engaged in collectively.

“Today is an opportunity to both efficiently reflect on palm nine to ensure that we are meeting the commitments set forth in that meeting and effectively look forward to palm ten to discuss our mission and priorities for the future. Today, we have the opportunity to continue the advancement of dialogue on regional priorities and promote interregional cooperation, key to ensuring that these priorities are recognized as globally important.”

Elikana emphasized that the value and strength of partnerships will be measured against commitments and support for the priorities outlined in the 2050 Strategy Implementation Plan, which are central to achieving desired outcomes.

The 5th PALM Ministerial Interim Meeting is a historic event as it comes to the Pacific for the first time, ahead of the high-level PALM10 in Tokyo from 16-18 July this year.