Marape supports PIF dialogue members restrictions

The move by the Pacific Islands Forum Chair to restrict and not invite 21 forum dialogue partners has been commended by Papua New Guinea.

This decision was made in the last forum leaders meeting, in Tonga - to defer the partners dialogue scheduled for this year at the PIF meeting, to 2026.

The deferral of the partners dialogue is to enable pacific leaders to come up with clear criterias for partnership and engagement at this key regional body.

Among dialogue partners include the United States, China, Indonesia and Taiwan.

Prime Minister James Marape told NBC National News in Honiara, right now, there is a review of membership and participation at the Pacific Islands Forum:

It’s somewhat of a welcome news for the West Papuans, and especially with representation at the pacific regional meets.

The West Papua issue remains an outstanding agenda at these meetings.

While their political body, United Liberation Movement for West Papua or ULMWP, has been fighting for a space on the Pacific Island Forum Leaders as more than an observer, Indonesia is a forum partner.

NBC National News spoke with President Benny Wenda in Honiara, whose renewed calls were made by PIF leaders in 2019 and 2023 for Indonesia to allow for a United Nations Human Rights commissioner to visit and investigate alleged human rights abuses and genocide in West Papua: