Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today announced this year’s Pacific Islands Forum will be held in Cairns in the first week of August 2009.
In Port Moresby in March last year, the Prime Minister announced Australia’s nomination to host the Forum, reflecting Australia’s reengagement in the Pacific region.
As the Port Moresby Declaration affirms, Australia is committed to working with Pacific Island nations towards a new era of cooperation and positive outcomes for the people of the Pacific.
The city and people of Cairns will warmly welcome Australia’s friends from the Pacific for this year’s Pacific Islands Forum, the region’s pre-eminent annual meeting.
PM’s Line in the Sand as Pacific Forum Sets Poll Deadline, Daniel Flitton, Age, 2009-01-28 The Pacific Islands Forum has given Fiji until May 1 to nominate an election date before the end of this year, or face suspension from the forum.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the timetable was a “line in the sand”. Fijian leader Frank Bainimarama told soldiers in Suva he could be in power for the next 10 years.
