The 54th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting and Associated Meetings officially opened in Solomon Islands 's capital Honiara on Monday, with delegates from 18 member states including Australia and New Zealand participating in the five-day event.
Over two dozen dialogue partners, including China, France, the US, UK, Japan, and Taiwan are blocked from attending the meeting by this year's host, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele.
In his opening remarks, Manele said the region's challenges, including climate change, sustainable management of resources, and the resilience of economies, demand urgent actions.
"Now is the time for decisions and actions, and an integrated blue Pacific continent," The National newspaper quoted him as saying.
He reaffirmed the collective commitment of the region's most vulnerable nations to tackle shared challenges.
Solomon Islands is hosting the PIF leaders meeting for the third time since 1979.
This year's theme is "Iumi Tugeda: Act now for an Integrated Blue Pacific Continent.
Founded in 1971, the PIF aims to address pressing issues and challenges, and foster collaboration and cooperation between countries and territories of the Pacific region.
In a related development, Republic of Kiribati took over the helm as chair of the Smaller Island States (SIS) grouping in the Pacific.
"If we are bold and united, the SIS will not only endure as a grouping, but will lead in showing how vulnerability can be transformed into political strength," Kiribati's President Taneti Maamau said at the SIS Leaders Meeting, which is part of the ongoing PIF meeting.
Addressing the meeting, the PIF Secretary General Baron Waqa highlighted the SIS as "a political expression of our solidarity as the smallest and most vulnerable members, and a reminder that our regional architecture must serve all equally, especially those with the least capacity but the greatest need."
The SIS group consists of eight members -- Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu.
