REMARKS: DSG Solofa at the Pacific Labour Mobility Annual Meeting, PLMAM 2024

REMARKS 
DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL (GOVERNANCE)
MS DESNA SOLOFA

PACIFIC LABOUR MOBILITY ANNUAL MEETING 2024
THE WESTIN BRISBANE HOTEL
15 NOVEMBER 2024

The Honourable Leota Laki Lamositele, Minister for Commerce, Industry and Labour of Samoa and Chair of the PACER Plus Ministerial Meeting

Senator the Honourable Tim Ayres, Assistant Minister for Trade and Assistant Minister for a Future Made In Australia

Honourable Ministers
Excellencies and Senior Officials

Mr Roy Lagolago, Head of the PACER Plus Implementation Unit

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I join your Excellencies in acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet today, and pay my respects to Elders, past, present and emerging. 

Thank you most warmly for the opportunity to provide this statement on behalf of Secretary General Baron Waqa who is presently with our Pacific Leaders and Delegates in Baku, Azerbaijan for COP29.

Resilience in Pacific Trade and 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent

Honourable Ministers,

2.    Building resilience is and remains an important focus in our Blue Pacific national and regional political, economic, trade, social and security discourse. And rightly so. Your meeting today is convened under the theme of Collectively Building Resilience. As Economic and Finance Ministers, you met this year under the theme of Accelerating Transformative Resilience in the Pacific: Partnerships for Prosperity; Pacific Islands Forum Leaders met in Tonga under the theme of Transformative Resilient Pasifiki: Build Better Now; it was also the focus of Forum Leaders’ national statements during the 79th Session of the UNGA; Commonwealth Heads of Governments met in Samoa under the theme of One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth. No doubt your meeting as Forum Trade Ministers will be shaped accordingly.

3.    It is an issue that is embedded in our respective national and regional development plans across all sectors of development, and which connects and informs our region’s collective efforts at COP29, the Pacific Resilience Facility, the Correspondent Banking Relationships Project, and our region’s continuing work and contribution in the advisory proceedings on the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change currently before the International Court of Justice, amongst others. It also underscores the continuing need for our Blue Pacific region to collectively address challenges and promote shared growth underpinned by strategic, durable and genuine regional and international partnerships.

4.    The 2050 Strategy sets out the region’s long-term strategic direction, by framing what we will work on, and how we will work, together.  The 2050 Strategy and its Implementation Plan is our opportunity to engage with and shape the most significant dynamics and influences in our region in order to secure the long-term wellbeing and prosperity of our Pacific people, towards achieving our Leaders’ 2050 Vision. In the trade context this relates to the thematic area on Resource and Economic Development, and a strengthened resilience of Pacific economies through sustainable management and development of our region’s resources. This also includes scientifically based research, technology and innovation, increased opportunities for women and girls, and strengthened mechanisms, including community development.

Honourable Ministers,

5.    In considering the implementation of the 2050 Strategy and the Review of the Regional Architecture, it is incumbent upon Members to discuss the institutions, mechanisms and platforms that supports trade, their ongoing value, contribution, complementarity and relevance to which leverage can be combined to achieve Leader’s vision for 2050.

6.    Three themes dominate as the Pacific accumulates its 2024-2025 forecast: i) economic prospects; ii) climate challenge; and iii) geopolitical dynamics. Regaining and sustaining the Pacific region’s sustainable development gains will require considerable collective political and economic cooperation under the 2050 Strategy as it navigates economic, security and climatic challenges amidst growing dynamic geopolitics.

Labour Mobility

7.    Central to all this is the importance and value of our Pacific people-to-people connectivity. It recognises our national and regional actions towards the need, desire and the logic of our Member States in combining their resources – human, economic and natural resources. It is geared towards finding common solutions to development challenges, to accelerate development and create a viable and prosperous society.

8.    The intent is to build a sustainable Pacific region, with an acceptable quality of life, and with people at the centre of all our development policies, strategies and initiatives.

9.    With this, Honourable Ministers, may I recall the Forum Leader’s tasking to the Forum Secretariat to work with all participating countries to hold further dialogue to gain a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities related to Labour Mobility Arrangements in the Pacific.

10.    Furthermore, Forum Leaders have noted the proposal to develop the Pacific Regional Labour Mobility Principles in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration and the International Labour Organization and in collaboration with PACER Plus Implementation Unit, to synergize and avoid unnecessary duplication in the development of the Principles.

11.    Initial consultations were carried out with Members, Civil Society, Private Sector and Non-Government Organisations, Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation, Pacific Island Association for NGOs, Pacific Islands Council of Trade Unions, UNICEF and the Pacer Plus Implementation Unit. These consultations were to: i) identify gaps and opportunities that the Regional Labour Mobility Principles should address; ii) determine scope of the principles and their alignment with existing strategies and processes; and iii) consider the process for the development of the Principles through Forum processes and other fora.

12.    An Operational Guidance (Guidelines) to guide the implementation of the principles will follow, focused on avoidance of duplication of efforts and to ensure complementarity with other existing mechanisms such the Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility.

13.    The update on the development of the Principles will be presented to Trade Officials in February in 2025, followed by a High-Level Dialogue prior to an update to the Special Forum Economic Ministers Meeting and presentation to Forum Trade Ministers. Subject to Ministers’ deliberations and decisions, these will be tabled for consideration by Forum Leaders when they meet in September in the Solomon Islands.

PT&I Network

14.    We are pleased to advise that the Network of the Pacific Islands Trade and Invest Network continues to work closely with Pacific Island businesses to support investment and export efforts, as well as exploration of markets for new export products and services. I wish to convey our deep appreciation to the Governments of Australia and New Zealand for your continued strong support in and funding of the work of the Network. In similar manner, we also thank the Peoples Republic of China, the European Union and Japan for their ongoing and kind support to hosting the PT&I Offices.

Honourable Ministers,

15.    Past experience across our Blue Pacific region has shown how prudent macroeconomic policies have enabled Pacific economies to withstand adverse external shocks. Full attention would be required to ensure that growth in Pacific productive sectors, like agriculture, fisheries, and tourism, are maximised in our regional’s interactions and relations. In a competitive world it would be necessary for Pacific countries to exert and become more assertive in positioning the Blue Pacific as a region and as individual national economies, offering in return to international investors attractive economic prospects and opportunities in the Pacific, and to guard against the Pacific being marginalised.

16.    I wish to commend our gracious hosts and organisers, the Government of Australia for the wonderful arrangements and support provided for your Meeting. I also wish to assure your Excellencies of the Forum Secretariat’s readiness to support your work in close collaboration with all our CROP agencies and development partners. I wish you well in your deliberations.

Thank you. --ENDS 

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