REMARKS: Opening Remarks by Deputy Secretary General, Desna Solofa, at the Special Forum Economic Officials Meeting

Malo e lelei and a warm Pacific good morning to you all.

2.    It is an honour to join you here in the Kingdom of Tonga for this Special Forum Economic Officials Meeting, a vital stepping stone to tomorrow’s Special Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM). On behalf of the Secretary General, Mr Baron Waqa, I extend my gratitude to the Government and people of the Kingdom of Tonga for hosting us, and to you, Excellencies and Senior Officials, for your commitment towards ensuring your voices are heard in shaping a resilient economic future for our Blue Pacific Continent.  

3.    We gather at a time of many challenges as well as opportunities.  There are opportunities at national levels and there are opportunities that regional collaboration can offer. Our region faces a volatile global landscape that test the foundations of our Member States. In this context, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat stands ready to support you in delivering on our mandate. Today, we bring forward three cornerstone initiatives that you have guided us to work on—the Pacific Roadmap for Economic Development (PRED), the Climate Finance Access and Mobilisation Strategy (CFAMS), and the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF)—each designed to address these pressing challenges and unlock our region’s potential.  

4.    The PRED is our strategic vision for economic resilience and integration. Refined through extensive consultation, including last month’s endorsement by the Pacific Economic Sub-Committee (PESC), it aligns with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. It tackles economic vulnerabilities by promoting diversification, strengthening financial systems, and enhancing regional trade—key to countering global market fluctuations and fostering shared prosperity. Through PRED, we will work towards better policy cohesion and your Secretariat  is leading efforts like the Pacific Strengthening Correspondent Banking Relationship (CBR), set to take effect next month with World Bank support, ensuring our financial connectivity endures despite external pressures.  

5.    The CFAMS, meanwhile, is our bridge to the resources we urgently need by streamlining access to climate and development finance. This initiative, rooted in the Framework for Resilient Development in the Pacific and in support of PRED, will be a catalyst for mobilising public and private capital, turning the tide against the existential threat of climate change.  

6.    The PRF, soon to be headquartered in Tonga, embodies Pacific-led innovation. With over $150 million in pledges, including reaffirmed support from the United States recently, the PRF is intended to fund preemptive resilience, breaking the catastrophic cycle of disaster and debt. The Secretariat is committed to its operationalisation following the anticipated Treaty signing at the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in September, ensuring it delivers tangible benefits across our region.  

7.    These initiatives are not standalone efforts. They are linked to the ongoing Review of Regional Architecture as mandated by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders, which seeks to sharpen our collective focus and enhance coordination across CROP agencies and with our Forum Dialogue Partners. The RRA will look to put in place a regional system where PRED, CFAMS, and PRF are implemented in a coordinated and efficient manner.  This is critical when  ensuring that our work is cohesive, and responsive to the needs of Forum Member States. This is regionalism in action—practical, inclusive, and forward-looking.  

8.    Excellencies and Senior Officials, the Secretariat’s ambition goes beyond policy. We are here to deliver results by bolstering economic stability amid global uncertainty, to secure finance for climate resilience, and empowering our grassroots communities.

9.    I urge you to openly and constructively critique and refine these initiatives and, as appropriate, recommend their endorsement to our Finance Ministers.

Malo ‘aupito, and I wish you fruitful deliberations.