PIPG Working Group Meeting underway in Tahiti

Attended by the Speaker of the Fijian Parliament the Hon. Filimone Jitoko, Leader of the Opposition the Hon. Inia Seruiratu, Speaker of the Assembly of French Polynesia the Hon. Antony Geros, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, Lord Fakafanua, Speaker of the Solomon Islands Parliament the Hon. Patteson Oti and the Chairman of the Maritime, Climate Change and Protected Area Committee, Palau National Congress, Senator the Hon. Sebastian Marino, it is envisaged that the Working Group would analyse the options for the formal restructuring of the PIPG and also decide on the way forward for the PIPG. The Working Group was also mandated to put its recommendations with the full membership of the PIPG at the 5th Conference that will be held in Fiji later this year in August.

The topics discussed today included the goals of the PIPG, the future legal framework, the new organisation’s internal structures and most importantly, the budget, resources and partnerships.

Later in the afternoon, a presentation was conducted by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat which allowed the leaders to exchange views on some pertinent issues.

The Leader of the Opposition the Hon. Inia Seruiratu stated that the main reason why the Working Group is congregating in Tahiti is to look at the restructuring of the PIPG, the developments taking place and the geopolitics, as there is a key role of Parliament in all these issues that confront all member Parliaments.

“We look forward to the outcome of this Working Group meeting so that we are well prepared to take our recommendations to the full membership of the PIPG at the August conference,” Hon. Seruiratu said.

The Working Group was established at the 4th PIPG Conference that was held in Koror, Palau last year and is expected to report back on its recommendations to all the 19-member Parliaments.

The Fijian Parliament will host the 5th PIPG Conference from the 25th to the 29th of August, 2025.