Micronesian leaders to set up permanent secretariat

NAURU, Sep 11, 2021, RNZ. The leaders from Nauru, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau and Kiribati met last week in their annual summit, Radio New Zealand reported.

They unveiled plans to establish the legal status of the summit and for Nauru to provide interim secretariat services until it is formally set up.

Officials have been called on develop a short initial statement of shared foreign policy or objectives, which the secretariat will elaborate on once established.

The five nations are leaving the Pacific Islands Forum but this matter appears inconsequential in their communique.

It contained a simple statement that the presidents have deposited “their letters of denunciation from the Pacific Islands Forum” with the first withdrawal taking effect in February next year.

The leaders also spoke about the need to collectively improve air and sea transport in their region.