President Surangel Whipps Jr. departed Palau on Monday for Brisbane, Australia, where he will attend a high-level Pacific Islands Forum Troika meeting this week as preparations intensify for the 2026 Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting, which Palau is set to host later this year.
The Troika meeting brings together the current Forum chair, Jeremiah Manele, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, the immediate past chair, Prime Minister Aisake Value Eke of Tonga, and President Whipps, the incoming chair, to provide political coordination and continuity for the region between annual PIF leaders’ meetings. President Whipps’ participation highlights Palau’s growing role in shaping regional priorities ahead of its hosting of the 2026 summit.
The Pacific Islands Forum Troika serves as a senior political consultative mechanism that supports the Forum chair in carrying forward leaders’ decisions outlined in the annual PIF communiqué. While the Troika does not make decisions on behalf of the full Forum, it plays a critical role in advancing agreed regional initiatives, providing guidance to incoming chairs and ensuring momentum on urgent political and development issues affecting the Blue Pacific.
Under the Troika framework, leaders work collectively to advocate for Forum priorities at regional and international levels, offer political counsel to the Forum Secretariat and promote cohesion among member states. The mechanism is also designed to ensure a smooth transition of leadership from one Forum chair to the next.
Palau’s attendance at the Brisbane meeting comes as it prepares to assume heightened responsibilities as host of the 2026 PIF Leaders Meeting, an event expected to draw leaders from across the Pacific to address shared challenges including climate change, sustainable development and regional security.
Following the Troika meeting, President Whipps is also scheduled to meet with Asian Development Bank President Masato Kanda to discuss development cooperation and ongoing partnerships relevant to Palau and the wider Pacific region.
Palau’s government has said hosting the 2026 Forum presents an opportunity to highlight the country’s leadership role in the Blue Pacific and to help shape the regional agenda at a critical time for Pacific Island nations.
