Seats are glaringly empty at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) summit in Suva this morning as Pacific leaders sit down to the first formal gathering.
Photo: RNZ / Anneke Smith
Prime ministers from Australia and Papua New Guinea are expected to fly into Suva tonight, however the empty seats with Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Nauru name tags will not be filled.
This morning's meeting for leaders, observers and associate members was opened by Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama, who acknowledged the 'breakdown in communication' with the Micronesian bloc.
He called on the leaders to remember the necessity of re-establishing "our family bonds".
This morning's meeting was to bring all members, associate members and observers to the table with heads of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific.
PIF secretary general Henry Puna gave the opening remarks this morning, and acknowledged this year's meeting was 'not an ordinary forum'.
There were some tough discussions to be had, he said, but he welcomed the chance for the
leaders to meet face to face.
"Let is not forget this is an opportunity for us to bond as colleagues."
US presence to be felt at the summit
The US vice president Kamala Harris is to make a virtual link to the forum summit meeting on Wednesday.
She was expected to underscore her country's renewed commitment to the Pacific region and discuss how that engagement could be deepened to deliver better results.
Meanwhile, US assistant secretary of state for oceans and international environmental affairs Monica Medina was at the summit to join in the discussions, with a focus on plastic pollution, illegal and unregulated fishing, climate change and the pandemic.
Medina was also scheduled to meet officials from the PIF Fisheries Agency to discuss the South Pacific Tuna Treaty, and support for the region to sustainably manage fisheries resources.