By Pita Ligaiula in Koror, Palau
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr says he will push Forum Leaders to set a fixed annual date for the Pacific Islands Forum, arguing that inconsistent scheduling is making it harder to secure full attendance
Whipps said a predictable date would allow leaders and governments to plan their national and parliamentary schedules around the region’s most important political gathering.
“One of the things that we want to discuss, I want to bring up with the leaders, is fixing a date as to when we would have a Forum.
“So that everybody can plan yearly that they know that this is the Forum day that is within everybody’s schedule,” he told Journalists in Koror.
Whipps compared the idea to the scheduling of meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN).
“That’s the way to build it so that it becomes like ASEAN, that every leader is able to be there because it’s at a time that everybody agrees to,” he said.
He said the changing dates of past Forum meetings showed the need for a more consistent arrangement.
“Just back in history, we had a Forum here. One was in July. The other one was in October. Now we’re doing one in August and September
“So obviously we don’t have a fixed date on these Forums, and we’ve got to work on it,” Whipps said.
The issue of leadership attendance and regional coordination is expected to feature prominently as Palau hosts the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting this week.
Whipps said he had received no update on whether leaders who were expected to attend the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting but had not yet arrived would still make it to Palau.
“I don’t know. I haven’t had any update,” he said when asked about the attendance of regional leaders.
Whipps said the absence of some leaders presented challenges but noted that no Forum meeting in the organisation’s history had brought together every leader.
“Every Forum, all the Leaders are invited. But we all understand that sometimes there are internal challenges that we cannot manage, especially in parliamentary systems,” he said.
He acknowledged that full participation would strengthen regional unity.
“It’s pretty hard to speak with one voice if they’re not here.
“If you go back in time, there’s no Forum where all leaders are there. We want to get to that point,” Whipps said.
