Oceania

1. On September 25, commencing at 10:00 a.m. (local time) for approximately one hour, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a Japan-Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting at a conference room within the United Nations during his visit to New York, and confirmed cooperation with the Pacific Island countries' leaders toward the success of the Seventh Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 7).

 

2. At the beginning, Prime Minister Abe mentioned the significance of the PALM in contributing to deepening and expanding the partnerships between Japan and Pacific Island countries, and said that at the PALM 7 that will be held in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture in May next year he wants to aim to establish new partnerships based on the relationship of mutual trust that has been built up thus far, by tackling common challenges in the region including natural disasters and climate change issues and via more people-to-people exchanges.

 

3. In response, the participating countries' leaders said they appreciate the contributions Japan has been making thus far via the PALMs, and hope Japan will also continue to proactively take initiatives for the Pacific region including in the field of climate change, at the PALM 7. 

 

(Participants from Pacific Island countries)

H.E. Mr. Anote Tong, President of the Republic of Kiribati

H.E. Mr. Emanuel Mori, President of the Federated States of Micronesia

H.E. Mr. Christopher J. Loeak, President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands

H.E. Mr. Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr., President of the Republic of Palau

Hon. Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa

Hon. Henry Puna, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands

Lord Tu'ivakano, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Tonga

Hon. Enele Sosene Sopoanga, Prime Minister of Tuvalu

H.E. Joe Natuman, Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu

Hon. Rimbink Pato, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea

Hon. Milton Dube, Member of Parliament of the Republic of Nauru 

H.E. Mr. Collin Beck, Permanent Representative of the Solomon Islands to the United Nations

H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Fiji to the United Nations.

Mr. Tuiloma Neroni Slade, Secretary General, Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Secretariat