Opening remarks by the Chair of the 2024 PACP Officials Meeting, Tepaeru Herrmann (Secretary of the Cook Islands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration)
05 August 2024, Suva, Fiji.
Heads of Delegations and Representatives of PACP Member Countries
Mr. Baron Waqa, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum
Representatives of the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP)
Ladies and Gentlemen, distinguished colleagues
Kia Orana and warm greetings to you all. It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the Pacific ACP Officials Meeting.
The Cook Islands is honored again to chair this meeting and to facilitate our discussions to finalize recommendations for our Pacific ACP Leaders’ consideration in Tonga.
As we meet today, our region continues to struggle with the impact of climate change, frequency of natural disasters, and a growing debt crisis amidst intensifying geopolitical competition in our region.
As we turn our gaze to the European Union, it is not lost on us that they also have several challenges – including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a growing migration challenge, and in maintaining the solidarity of EU members.
Within this setting is the Samoa Agreement, the legally binding document that provide the overarching framework for EU and OACPS cooperation. I understand that all Pacific ACP members have now signed the Samoa Agreement by the 31 July 2024, with the ratification and resourcing requirements now being the priority.
At the same time, I also note that we are still reviewing our regional architecture. In this respect, Members will note that the agenda before us talks to two issues are a linked to this work: (i) the new institutional arrangements under the Samoa Agreement, which further implicates our regional architecture; and (ii) our role and mandate as a political grouping within the regional architecture.
Our discussion today is therefore critical in shaping the future of our grouping. I encourage you all to share your insights, perspectives and recommendations in open dialogue. Our collective efforts are crucial in ensuring that we not only meet the challenges before us, but that we also seize the opportunities to advance the well-being and prosperity of our people.
Excellencies, Senior Officials with these few words, I now invite the Secretary General to deliver his opening remarks.
[ENDS]
