By Pita Ligaiula in Koror, Palau
Forum Secretary General Baron Waqa has urged regional journalists to provide clear, factual and ethical coverage of leaders’ decisions as the Pacific prepares for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting.
Closing the Forum Secretariat and Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Regional Media Training Workshop in Palau, Waqa said journalists had a critical responsibility as the eyes and ears of Pacific communities.
He said the work of the media was essential in ensuring that decisions made by Forum leaders were understood by the people they were intended to serve.
“As eyes and ears of our Pacific peoples and communities, you play an important role in ensuring that the decisions of the Forum leaders are not only clear and well understood, but that they ultimately deliver tangible benefits for the people of the Blue Pacific,” Waqa said.
The two-day workshop brought together Pacific journalists with technical experts, programme leads and Forum Secretariat directors ahead of next week’s leaders’ meeting.
Waqa said the training had already produced results, with Pacific media organisations providing strong coverage of regional issues and preparations for the Forum.
Waqa said the Pacific’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent recognised the media as a critical regional stakeholder.
He said factual, balanced and ethical reporting was essential to advancing the region’s shared vision and strengthening resilience against misinformation.
“The 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent recognises the media as a critical regional stakeholder with an essential role in advancing our shared regional vision through well-balanced, factual and ethical reporting.
“This strengthens our resilience against misinformation, especially in today’s increasingly complex geopolitical landscape,” he said.
He said public attention would be firmly focused on the discussions and decisions of leaders as they gather for the 55th Forum Leaders’ Meeting.
Journalists, he said, had an important responsibility to foster informed public dialogue and reinforce regional solidarity.
“Leaders place great confidence in your ability to use your platforms to foster informed public dialogue and to reinforce the spirit of regional solidarity and unity that underpins the Blue Pacific,” Waqa said.
Waqa said the agenda before Forum leaders was “substantive and far-reaching”, covering some of the region’s most important political, economic and environmental priorities.
The issues include the review of the regional architecture, the Leaders’ Ocean Statement, climate change, pre-COP discussions, the future of the Boe Declaration and other priorities expected to shape the future direction of the Blue Pacific.
He said journalists would face a demanding week as they cover the leaders’ meeting and encouraged them to provide context as well as breaking news.
“I encourage you to continue bringing clarity, context and insight to the issues that matter most to our region, to help our Pacific communities stay informed, engaged and connected to the decisions that shape our collective future,” he said.
Waqa said the media’s reporting played an important role in making regional discussions accessible to ordinary Pacific people.
“Through your reporting, you help ensure that the discussions and decisions of leaders are accessible to our people, strengthening public understanding, accountability and our shared sense of regional solidarity across the Blue Pacific.”
Looking ahead to the Forum meeting, Waqa said the Secretariat wanted to continue working closely with regional media organisations.
He said the priority was to ensure Pacific issues and stories were reported through the perspectives of Pacific journalists and communities.
“We look forward to working with the media across the region to bring Pacific stories to life through their Pacific lenses,” Waqa said.
He thanked journalists attending the workshop and wished them well as they prepared for their individual and joint assignments during the Forum Leaders’ Meeting.
“Ultimately, the prosperity and well-being of our Pacific people should be our long-term goal,” Waqa said.
The 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting will bring together leaders from the Forum’s 18 member countries, with regional and international attention expected to focus on the major decisions that emerge from the gathering.
