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Forum Compact Peer Reviews regulated by PIFS for its member countries following agreements from the Cairns Compact: Nauru, Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Niue, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)

The importance of natural resources to the economy of the Pacific island region cannot be overstated. Island communities have unsurprisingly relied heavily on ocean resources for sustenance and economic activities, such as fishing and transport. Land-based resources are also vital at subsistence level, and are providing increasing development opportunities, for example through forestry and mineral mining.

The Marine Sector Working group (MSWG) dates back to the late 1990s, when its primary focus was on the development of the Pacific Islands Regional Ocean Policy (PIROP), which was finally institutionalised in 2004-2005. Unfortunately, the PIROP has not had the impact that was expected at the time of its development, and has lost some visibility in recent years.

The mandate of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS) to develop frameworks for Traditional Knowledge (TK) protection arose at the Forum Trade Ministers Meeting in 1999 out of a recognition that the region’s traditional and cultural resources were being improperly exploited without due compensation to TK owners. Work on TK aims to address this on two levels through the development of regional frameworks for 1) Traditional Biological Resources (protection of traditional plants, medicinal knowledge etc), in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Programme (SPREP); and 2) Traditional Knowledge and Expressions of Culture (TKEC) (protection of traditional arts, songs, dances etc.), in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).

Brochure on Pacific Island Countries Helping each other through Peer Reviews

The Pacific Islands Forum Member States and the European Union have agreed to this Declaration on Climate Change on as a commitment between the two regions to address the challenges posed by climate change, including their priorities for mitigation and adaptation.