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MSG summit opens in Solomon Islands
Islands Business - June 24, 2015
Summit host Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was joined in the opening ceremony by Fiji Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, FLNKS leader Victor Tutugoro, PNG Minister for Public Enterprise Ben Micah and Vanuatu's Johnson Naviti, Director General of the Office of the Vanuatu Prime Minister.
The ceremony included a formal presentation to each of the delegations from the host island of Guadalcanal, known as chupu, including pigs, root crops and betel nut. The cultural welcome was acknowledged by a Fijian spokesman on behalf of the leaders and the FLNKS delegation made a customary presentation, acknowledging the welcome from the land owners and the people of the Solomon Islands.
The theme of this week's summit is: "Let us build a strong Melanesia in the Pacific where peace, progress and prosperity is ensured and sustained for all".
In his opening address, Prime Minister Sogavare highlighted the challenge of meeting the MSG's ambitious strategy "MSG 2038 Prosperity for all." Before his latest term of office, Sogavare served as a member of the MSG Eminent Persons Group (EPG) that reviewed the first 25 years of the sub-regional organisation, and developed the new 2038 plan as a vision for the next 25.
Already committed to an ambitious – and expensive – range of activities, the MSG is considering its relationship with the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP). With MSG member Papua New Guinea also preparing to host the next meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum in September, Sogavare said: "It is important that in considering any new initiatives and programs under the MSG, we must not duplicate the role of other regional organisations in the Pacific."
Sogavare also spoke out strongly on one of the key decisions facing this week's summit: the application for MSG membership by the United Liberation Movement of West Papua (ULMWP) and a proposal to upgrade Indonesia's current observer status to associate membership.
"All eyes will be on Honiara and the world is watching us and eagerly anticipating what the outcome will be when we deliberate on the application for new membership to the MSG," Sogavare said.
In the stand of dignitaries, the opening ceremony was witnessed by a large Indonesian delegation, led by Vice Foreign Minister Dr. A.M. Fachir, and by an equally large delegation of leaders and members of the ULMWP.
Sogavare stressed that the "deliberations on these applications will test our commitment to a caring, progressive, peaceful and inclusive MSG."
In a departure from his prepared text, he added: "They are not ordinary applications – they are applications that challenge many of the fundamental values that we in Melanesia profess to uphold as members of the United Nations and countries founded on the principles of Christianity."
Sogavare said: "Let us not forget the dreams and wishes of our people to be part of our Melanesian family; the desire of our people for an inclusive MSG – an MSG that is able to stand for what is right in the world where such values are now struggling to survive."
At the end of the ceremony, the Solomon Islands Prime Minister greeted members of the West Papua delegation, including ULM Secretary General Octo Mote and spokesperson Benny Wenda.
Sogavare's strong public rhetoric reflects the widespread public support for the West Papuan movement shown by church, community and customary leaders in Solomon Islands. At Thursday's leaders' retreat, however, the MSG host must forge a consensus with his fellow leaders, who have publicly expressed divergent views on the applications.
As Sogavare noted, the decisions on Indonesia and West Papua will be "a test of our genuineness to solve a problem between two next door neighbours in the interest of regional peace and stability."
With PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill still to arrive in Honiara, the MSG leaders will hold a retreat on Thursday and a plenary on Friday receiving reports from senior officials and ministers, and forging a consensus on more challenging issues.
As one delegate noted wryly to Islands Business: "We finished the Foreign Ministers' meeting early. We've done all the easy ones, but have handballed a few tricky ones to the boss!"
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