Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern

Prime Minister

MP for Mt Albert

Rt Hon Winston Peters

Deputy Prime Minister

Minister of Foreign Affairs

3 September 2018 PĀNUI PĀPĀHO

MEDIA STATEMENT

Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs to attend the Pacific Islands Forum in Nauru

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Nauru early Wednesday morning to attend the Pacific Islands Forum.

“The Forum is an important opportunity for Pacific Leaders to collectively engage with the significant issues facing the region” Jacinda Ardern said.

“The theme of this year’s Forum – ‘Building a Strong Pacific: Our People, Our Islands, Our Will’ – is very apt, as we will be talking about a range of important issues including regional security, sustainable development, and responses to climate change.

“This Government has made it a priority to lift New Zealand’s strategic ambition and investment in the region, including deepening our relationships with our Pacific family.

“A key focus for the meeting will be concluding a new regional security declaration. Environmental and human security are both priorities for New Zealand, and we are pleased that these have been part of the discussion as the new declaration has been developed.

“I also intend to raise refugee-related issues during the Forum” Jacinda Ardern said.

While in Nauru, both the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs expect to hold bilateral meetings with a range of counterparts, as well as informal engagements in the margins of the Forum.

“I am looking forward to seeing fellow Leaders from across the region”, Jacinda Ardern said.

Mr Peters will be travelling to Nauru from 3 – 5 September. The Prime Minister will travel to Nauru on 5 September.

Background

The Pacific Islands Forum was founded in 1971, as the South Pacific Forum.

The Forum is the preeminent Pacific regional organisation, with a membership including New Zealand, Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. Tokelau is an associate member.

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