Fiji opposes Cairns Compact

Submitted by TemoL on Mon, 08/03/2010 - 9:16am

The Government of Fiji strongly objects to a Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Press Release of 24 February 2010, captioned "Progress in Cairns Compact,” as being misleading and erroneous.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Ratu Inoke Kubuabola said not all Pacific Leaders had endorsed the Compact as the Government of Fiji is neither a party nor supports the Cairns Compact.

This, adds Ratu Inoke, is the unambiguous message it wishes to convey to the private sector, the local business community and to its overseas development partners.

The reservation and concerns expressed by Fiji to the Cairns Compact, he said, is also supported and shared by major donors to the region.

"Fiji views the Compact as an infringement of the sovereignty of Pacific Island Countries and an imposition of the foreign policy of certain regional neighbours on sovereign donors.

"It breaches the fundamental principles of sovereignty, the right of self-determination of peoples and interferes in the internal affairs of States," said Ratu Inoke.

He expressed concerned that the Compact called for, among others: "regular peer review" of Forum Island Countries'" national development plans to promote international best practice in key sectors and improve effective allocation processes and guide support from development partners."

Ratu Inoke said the Government of Fiji will not support any infringement of the sovereignty of States and the further insult it conveys to valued donors by brazenly questioning their development cooperation policies.

He urged the Forum Secretariat and other regional and international organisations to respect Fiji's position on the Cairns Compact and called on them not to approach non-State actors and other stakeholders in Fiji to engender support for the Compact without the accord of the Fiji Government.

Ratu Inoke also urged the Forum Secretariat and other Forum Members to work with Pacific Island Countries in a transparent, consultative process, if they were genuinely concerned about FICs meeting their Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Minister called on the Secretary-General of the Forum Secretariat to take heed of the position of the Fiji Government on the Cairns Compact.