Monday 3 October 2022
From left, FRC Secretariat Mr. Whitmon Tabiru, FRC Chair Hon. Peter Kenilorea Jr and Hon. Sammy Galokale of the Parliamentary Environment and Conservation Committee debrief at the Paul Tovua Complex before their departure to Tahiti.
From left, FRC Secretariat Mr. Whitmon Tabiru, FRC Chair Hon. Peter Kenilorea Jr and Hon. Sammy Galokale of the Parliamentary Environment and Conservation Committee debrief at the Paul Tovua Complex before their departure to Tahiti.

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee and Member of Parliament for East AreAre Hon. Peter Kenilorea Jr will lead a three-man delegation ahead of the Pacific Islands Parliaments Group (PIPG) technical meeting scheduled to take place on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 7th October 2022 at the French Polynesian capital, Pape’ete.

Accompanying him is government backbencher and South Choiseul MP and member of the Parliamentary Environment and Conservation Committee, Hon. Sammy Galokale and the FRC Secretariat Mr. Whitmon Tabiru.

The Assembly of French Polynesia hosted this PIPG technical meeting to allow representatives of the Pacific Parliaments to discuss the fifteen outcomes of the Tara’ohi Declaration – Pact for the Sustainable Blue Economy which was adopted in September 2019.

Representatives of the Pacific Islands Parliaments Group (PIPG), within their capacity and according to their national interests and specificities will use this technical meeting to share and address some if not all of the outcomes of the Tara’ohi Declaration in an inclusive manner.

Every Parliament member of the Pacific Islands Parliaments Group has been called on to support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development.

This also includes Integrate climate and ocean agendas in a coherent manner in strategies and action

plans, legislation, budgets, and funding programs to improve the health, productivity, and resilience of the ocean and its ecosystems, including through the promotion of incentives to reduce emissions from maritime activities or by developing nature-based solutions such as marine protected and managed areas.

Prior to the two days meeting, the Solomon Islands delegates visited the Teahupoo rahui protected area and Aquapac Shrimp farm on Monday 3 rd September 2022, to listen to presentations by the Municipality of Taiarapu-Ouest on its achievements in the areas of environmental protection and sustainable development. On Tuesday 4th October 2022, the team will visit the Joint Rescue Centre (JRCC) and an island tour of Tahiti.

The meeting proper took place today (Wednesday 5th October 2022) and saw the President of the Assembly of French Polynesia Mr. Gaston TONG SANG, the President of French Polynesia Mr. Edouard FRITCH, and the High Commissioner of the Republic in French Polynesia addressing the representatives of the Pacific Parliaments before exchange debates on implementing the Taraho’i Declarations’ Commitments – Pact for the sustainable blue economy.

On the final day of the PIPG meeting (Thursday 6th October 2022), participants will undergo a Workshop – training on a methodology to be adopted in view of implementing the Tara'ohi Declaration’s commitments – Pact for the sustainable blue economy.

The Foreign Relations Committee (FRC) Chairman Hon. Peter Kenilorea Jr and his team will have their final engagement on Friday 7th October 2022, where they will make visits to the Texinfine Company, Te Fare Natura, and CRIOBE to witness the presentation by the Municipality of MooreaMaiao of its achievements in the areas of environmental protection and sustainable development.