By Xinhua,
Wellington : The first ministerial meeting to enhance the political dialogue between the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and the European Union (EU) will be held in Brussels on Sept.16, the Suva-based Forum Secretariat said on Thursday.
At the special dialogue between the EU and the PIF held in Tonga in October last year, there was agreement to launch an enhanced EU-PIF Political Dialogue.
“This dialogue would enable a structured interaction between the EU and the Pacific region to increase the visibility of the EU in the Pacific and the Pacific in the EU,” said Feleti Teo, acting secretary general of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
“The dialogue should cover issues such as regional security and governance, economic stability and growth, international trade, the environment, development cooperation and any other issues of topical interest agreed on by both parties,” said Teo.
The enhanced structured EU-PIF Political Dialogue is to consist of triennial meetings of a Ministerial Troika with the first to beheld in Brussels on Sept. 16, supplemented by annual Senior Officials’ Meetings at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in Suva, Fiji. The first Senior Officials’ Meeting was held in May of this year.
The Pacific Islands Forum Troika will consist of the current Forum Chair, Niue Premier Toke Talagi, along with Ministers representing the past Forum Chair, Tonga, and the next Forum Chair, Australia.