4th Japan-Pacific Islands PALM Ministerial Interim Meeting

Pacific Islands Forum Leaders and Ministers including Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown met virtually 20 October for the 4th PALM Ministerial Interim Meeting (MIM), to follow up on the outcomes of the Eighth Japan-Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM8) held in 2018 as well as to prepare for the next meeting of Japan-Pacific Islands Leaders, PALM9, currently scheduled to convene next year.

A Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) regarding both the MIM and PALM9 was planned to be held in Japan in February 2020, with the Cook Islands represented by Foreign Secretary Tepaeru Herrmann, however a number of Senior Officials, including the Cook Islands, chose to withdraw attendance given the growing risk posed by the then burgeoning COVID19 outbreak in Asia.

The 4th MIM was attended by Leaders and Ministers from Japan and Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Member countries and co-chaired by the Hon. Motegi Toshimitsu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Hon. Simon Kofe, Minister of Justice, Communications and Foreign Affairs of Tuvalu as current Chair of the PIF.

In delivering his intervention during the virtual 4th MIM, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown acknowledged Japan’s notable contributions to the Cook Islands and the wider Pacific, for more than 3 decades via the PALM mechanism. Said Prime Minister Brown, “Through PALM, our joint efforts have strengthened people to people and economic cooperation including in tourism, trade, fisheries and education and our collaboration in multilateral fora has also grown, including in maritime and oceans. But there’s significant scope to do more and amidst the devastating impact of COVID-19, we must do more – as the Pacific, as Japan and as PALM. We must elevate our individual and collective ambitions, refocus our efforts and ensure a partnership approach to priority setting, planning and delivery of our PALM 9 agenda.”

The Prime Minister went on to outline priority areas for further discussion and collaboration at PALM9 in 2021, including COVID-19 response and recovery, sustainable ocean management, use and conservation, climate change and disaster resilience, sustainable economic development and the importance of people to people exchanges. Broader issues to be discussed by PIF Leaders at PALM9 will include Japan’s strategic development initiative titled the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy” and PIF priorities as articulated in the 2019 Forum Communique.

The 3-yearly meeting of Japan and Pacific Leaders, PALM sets the framework for Japan’s co-operation with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and is an invaluable opportunity for PIF Leaders to discuss a range of issues with Japan as a collective and bilaterally, at the highest level .

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations with Japan in 2011, the Cook Islands has strengthened co-operation in a range of areas. Japan has provided funding support to various community level projects including the Tei Muri Motia Volunteer Fire Rescue Station which services Vaka Takitumu, Te Kainga O Pa Taunga Mental Health, renovations to the Apii Te Uki Ou primary school and most recently, the procurement and arrival of two ambulances to further strengthen and enhance health services in Mauke and Atiu. Additionally and in response to the COVID19 pandemic, the Government of Japan this year committed non-project grant assistance of ¥100,000,000 (approximately 1.3 Million NZD) to be used to assist the Cook Islands national COVID-19 preparedness, through the procurement of necessary medical equipment for the Rarotonga Hospital. The Cook Islands and Japan are also increasingly collaborating in the multilateral fora on matters of mutual interest including the International Maritime Organisation, UNESCO and the World Health Organisation.

Queries regarding this media release and Cook Islands engagement with PALM can be directed to MFAI International and Trade Division Director Karopaerangi Ngatoko at Karopaerangi.ngatoko@cookislands.gov.ck

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(Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Cook Islands 03 November 2020)