What is the Pacific Islands Forum?

About Pacific Islands Forum:

• It is an intergovernmental organisation formed in 1971.
• Member countries: It consists of 18 member states located in the Pacific region.
  • Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
• Aim:
  • It aims to push for economic growth, enhance political governance and security for the region, and strengthen regional cooperation.
  • Its vision is for a resilient Pacific region of peace, harmony, security, social inclusion and prosperity that ensures all Pacific peoples can lead free, healthy and productive lives.
• The organisation discusses priority issues at its annual meeting, where decisions made by the member states are reached by consensus.
• The decisions are implemented by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
• PIF members have been pushing to raise funds for climate action. Notably, the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) — a regional financing facility established by PIF is currently $380 million short of its $500 million target. 

Q1: What is the Blue Economy?

Blue Economy refers to the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of marine ecosystems. It emphasizes the importance of the ocean and its resources as a source of economic opportunity, innovation, and wealth creation, while also acknowledging the need for conservation and sustainability.

Source: The Pacific Islands Forum’s annual meeting begins: The organisation and the issues being discussed