PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Organization Committee for SPF): February 24, 1998 – The FSM
for the second time is hosting the South Pacific Forum tentatively scheduled for the 21st
to the 27th of August this year.
Preparations for this session, the 29th South Pacific Forum, have
already begun with the establishment of an organizing committee chaired by Vice President
Leo A. Falcam.
Falcam said that August 21-27 was chosen after considering that
the United Nations General Assembly starts in September, the regular Session of the FSM
Congress runs from October to November, and the busy holiday season begins after that.
Much still has to be accomplished and the involvement of the local
communities, especially the traditional leaders, local governments, and the private sector
is being sought.
Among the many responsibilities being handled by the committees
are completing inventories of available car rentals, hotel rooms, and meeting space on
Pohnpei.
The South Pacific Forum was established in 1971 out of a common
desire on the part of the independent or self-governing countries in the Pacific to
develop a collective response to regional issues. The first meeting was held in
Wellington, New Zealand.
There are now 16 member countries including, Australia, Cook
Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Republic of Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand,
Niue, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu,
Vanuatu, Western Samoa, and the Republic of Palau.
The Head of Government of the hosting country assumes the
chairmanship until the next Forum. That will be the President of the FSM, Jacob Nena, for
the upcoming Forum.
FSM last hosted the Forum in 1991. Last year was the Cook Islands
and the Republic of the Marshall Islands before then.
