Pacific Islands Forum reels as countries withdraw

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The Pacific Islands Forum is tethering on the brink of being disbanded after several member countries walked away from the pact. The move comes after the controversial election of former Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna as the new general secretary of the forum.

The mass withdrawal of a number of countries some of which include Palau, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Nauru could have a significant impact on communities that were represented by these states. It now puts Australia in a precarious position in negotiating it’s strategic relations across the Pacific with question marks over the future of the forum.

Produced By: Pranav Harish

Featured In Story: Dr, Graeme Smith, Fellow at the Department of Pacific Affairs at the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the College of Asia and the Pacific at the Australian National University, and Nic Maclellan, Correspondent at the Island Business Magazine

First aired on The Wire, Tuesday 09 February 2021