MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP FOR THE RESTRUCTURING OF THE PIPG

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The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, Lord Fakafanua, is currently in Papeete, Tahiti to attend a meeting of the Working Group of the Pacific Islands Parliament Group (PIPG) from 3 – 6 February 2025. In attendance were the 5 member parliaments of the Working Group which was established at the 4th PIPG Conference last year in Koro, Palau, with the mandate to discuss options to restructure and formalize PIPG as a regional parliamentary institution.

On that momentum, the meeting of the Working Group began by highlighting the absence and the pressing need for a regional parliamentary institution, as a crucial platform for engaging all parliaments from across the Pacific. On behalf of the PIPG Secretariat, Mr. Jean-Raphael Giuliani presented restructuring options and recommendations to the Working Group. The Working Group convened discussions on these recommendations including the legal frameworks where it explored its practicalities and implications. It also discussed the internal structure for this organization, including the mandate and memberships of PIPG’s governing board and the General Assembly, budget and resources for the organization and possible partnerships. It also had an opportunity to speak directly with regional organizations like the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), Pacific Islands Development Program (PIDP), Pacific Community (SPC) and UNDP (United Development Program) to explore possible partnership opportunities.

During these meetings, Lord Fakafanua made key interventions emphasizing the importance of ensuring PIPG is inclusive of all parliaments in the north and south Pacific and within the context of their capacities. Lord Fakafanua said, “The decisions of the Working Group at this meeting are crucial as it will determine the foundation for PIPG, formalized as the first Pan-Pacific interparliamentary body in the Pacific, which is a significant milestone for the Pacific”.

At the end of the meetings, the Group finalized its recommendations for restructuring PIPG to be presented for approval by the PIPG General Assembly at its 5th PIPG Conference in Fiji, to be held in August later this year.

Established in 2013, PIPG is the premier organization for legislative cooperation in the Pacific Islands. There are a total of 18 member parliaments from the 3 sub-regions (Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia). It is the only parliamentary platform for Pacific legislatures from both the north and south Pacific where it can discuss prevalent issues in the Pacific at the parliamentary level. The Legislative Assembly of Tonga is a founding member of PIPG and has been an active member of PIPG since 2013 and hosted the 3rd PIPG conference in Nuku’alofa in August, 2023.

The Lord Speaker is accompanied by Ms Sulia Makasini from the Committees/Library Division and is funded through the generous support of UNDP. The Legislative Assembly would also like to extend a special acknowledgement of the warm hospitality extended from its hosts, the Assembly of French Polynesia in Tahiti.
Photo Credit: Fiji Parliament