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Island leaders to hold conference in Aug. By Craig DeSilva For Saipan Tribune
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Posted on Mar 21 2000
HONOLULU, Hawaii –The Special Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders concluded Friday with general agreement on a plan that outlines the formal relationship between the conference and the East-West Center.
Leaders at the two-day meeting in Honolulu also agreed to hold a full Conference of Leaders session at the center in late August. That meeting, involving 20 countries, territories and states in the region, will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the EWC’s Pacific Islands Development Program.
During last week’s deliberations, committee members provided input on a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) that outlines conference-center relationships.
Members also discussed a proposed strategic plan for PIDP and the social and economic development work that should be performed during the next 10 years on behalf of the Pacific Islands region.
Both documents are expected to be formally adopted at the full leaders’ meeting in August, when island leaders are also to choose officers who will head the conference in the next three years.
Fiji President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, the convener of last-week’s meeting
called it a success.
“There have been some very good contributions,” Mr. Mara said. “Particularly from the president of Kiribati (Teburoro Tito) on the Pacific Village Way and from the prime minister of Fiji (Mahendra Chaudhry) on the effect of the World Trade Organization’s likely conflict with the help we are receiving at the present to develop our resources.”
Mr. Mara said one of the greatest accomplishments of the conference was recognition of PIDP and its work in assisting development in the Pacific region.
“It’s a unique organization in which the leaders can react directly with researchers. . . to help us analyze and solve problems and provide guidance,” he said. “Nowhere else in the world will our leaders of government have a university facility to help them that way.”
