Attending were security practitioners and experts from Australia, China, the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, France, Guam, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Taiwan, Tonga, Tuvalu, the United States, and Vanuatu. Also attending were representatives from the Pacific Islands Forum, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the Melanesian Spearhead Group, United Nations Development Programme Regional Pacific Centre and and FemLINKPACIFIC, an important regional non-governmental organizations addressing work related to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

Although ‘architecture’ was the starting point, it was primarily an attempt to highlight ongoing conventional and non-conventional threats to regional security and explore the growing nexus between development and security.

Some key themes emerged:

• The basic framework of regional security architecture exists (e.g. the Biketawa Declaration)
•  There is growing co-ordination by officials at the national, sub-regional (such as  MSG) and regional level (such as the Forum) to deal with humanitarian and natural disasters as well as possible peacekeeping interventions in the event of conflict.
• Problems remain at the national and local level to better manage cycles of payback violence, tribal war, resource exploitation and personal security issues such as stemming domestic violence.
• RAMSI, the peace operation in Solomon Islands, while not actually dealing with the ‘root causes’ of the ethnic tension did stabilise a situation that was spinning out of control and provided needed space to rebuild respect for governing institutions.
• The peace process on Bougainville might be seen as the gold standard – using unarmed troops to oversee a rapid demilitarisation and using kastom (custom) reconciliation processes to maintain peace.
• Many countries in our region have not invested enough in the idea of maintaining peace and internal cohesion – preventative measures – leading to perhaps too much crisis management when tensions do flare.
• Approaches to regional peacekeeping and national peace-building are important if the Pacific is to better manage its periodic disasters – natural and human made. Both the MSG and others in the region are examining the possibility of creating a permanent regional peace keeping / disaster response force that can mobilised quickly.
• Conventional threats and flash points were identified – such as tension in the South China Sea and the ongoing conflict in West Papua, but many speakers were keen to highlight non-conventional threats to the Pacific, ranging from climate change impacts to the epidemic of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), to community policing and domestic violence concerns.
• What was interesting to note is the growing acceptance in the security sector of civil society engagement and a more holistic approach to national security.

The topic areas included audience questions general discussions and policy explanations on urban service delivery and constitutent links between legislators and citizens. PiPP moderator Mary Jack facilitated discussions amongst panelists and an active audience drawing out issues that resonated within previous workshops. The issues focused on a range of physical service delivery challenges. Conversations focused on underlying issues concerning public policy, governing systems and institutional frameworks relevant to established national priorities, budget priorities and policy planning. The event was held to mark Vanuatu’s annual Independence Day celebrations providing an overarching theme for open and frank dialogue on the nations’ priorities and goals into the future as an independent nation.

The forum was broadcast live on Vanuatu radio and telecast later on local television. The event provided a platform for an open forum for panel discussions and Q & A between selected leaders and Port Vila-based citizens.

Stakeholders from key sectors of youth, women, NGO and community, civil servants and political actors were brought together to interpret and deconstruct recorded audio stories collected from Port Vila citizens. The emphasis in the pilot surveys was based around service delivery with an overarching reference to constituency links between elected representatives and citizens in Port Vila urban and peri urban electorates. The stories provided a chance for political actors to interpret citizen’s service delivery challenges according to a government officials’ understanding of their own institutional roles and responsibilities.

Equally, for community representatives the workshops proved to be a layered learning process, where the deconstruction of stories led to better understanding of the value of basic services. This process aided a revised understanding amongst community representatives of the underlying dated or weak public structures orginally designed to support and assist the public. All five workshops generated overwhelming positive feedback, with frequent requests for similar workshops to be expanded in communities and government offices in Port Vila.

Vanuatu’s newly appointed ambassador to the UN, H.E. Odo Tevi, talks on transitioning from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to a new set of Sustainable Development Goals, which are to be agreed at a global summit of world leaders in September 2015.

Ambassador Tevi highlights the need for a stronger Pacific voice at the UN in helping to formulate the key elements of the new global agenda.

‘We now have the opportunity to shape our collective future, and in doing so we must take ownership of our development challenges and opportunities and where there are factors impeding our development that are beyond our control we must articulate our expectations of the global community.’

He noted the post-2015 development agenda will not be business as usual and the biggest challenge is for nations like Vanuatu to “take ownership” of the new goals.

‘There is a clear call for a transformative development agenda. One that puts the primary focus back on national ownership. Our national development frameworks must reflect our national priorities and circumstances. They should be aligned with, but not be subordinate to, global goals’, Ambassador Tevi said.

As usual there were some lively questions from the audience that included the need to address gender balance, support the ’80 per cent of people who live in the rural areas’ and factor in the emerging understanding of alternative indicators of poverty and affluence.

PiPP’s Eminent Speakers Series showcases some of the key thinkers in our region and these breakfast talks help policy makers and influencers at the national and regional level.

Under the theme ‘Development for All: Stop Conflicts, Build States and Eradicate Poverty’ the conference brought together over 200 participants from 48 countries to discuss priorities for the post-2015 development agenda.

The Dili international conference was the first time self-identifying ‘fragile’ countries (either by virtue of being conflict affected, or geographically or otherwise vulnerable) came together to forge a bloc identity, share experiences of the Millennium Development Goals, and to build solidarity around the global debate on the post- 2015 development agenda. The Dili Consensus made a clear call for a new approach to development that concentrates on ownership of the development agenda by those affected, and a greater focus on inclusive economic growth, peacebuilding and statebuilding, environmental management and climate change.

As a lead in to the Dili international conference on the post-2015 development agenda, PiPP brought together 30 government, academic and civil society delegates from the Pacific for a round table consultation. Delegates agreed the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have played an important role in focusing development efforts, but do not fully reflect national and regional development priorities. As a region, the Pacific has been labelled a failure in terms of meeting the MDGs, which raised concerns about the application of global goals that are defined without country ownership.

The outcomes of the consultation [PDF 0.5MB] identified five broad areas that were not adequately covered in the MDGs: inclusive economic growth, environmental and natural resource management (especially in relation to oceanic resources), state effectiveness, peace and justice and aspects of social service delivery. Climate change was a central focus of discussions, and delegates concluded the need to hold to account the countries that contribute most to the problem, and marshal international support for climate change mitigation, adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies. Specifically it was agreed that there was a need to greatly simplify criteria and processes for accessing climate change financing, which is currently particularly disadvantageous to small island states.

The round table consultation was conducted in a spirit of mutual learning, and to find common ground and build solidarity. It was addressed by His Excellency Anote Tong, President of Kiribati and Dr Noeleen Heyzer, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of UNESCAP. His Excellency Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, said of the consultation: ‘The contribution of the Pacific island nations, which you brought together before the conference, added great value to the discussions and outcomes’.

The two separate events – PM Face to Face and Face to Face featuring the Leader of the Opposition were produced as a special one – hour event broadcast live on TV and radio and transmitted throughout Vaunt using the e-government network.

The following is a summary listing of the questions asked during PiPP’s two Face to Face events held at the Vanuatu Parliament house and featuring Prime Minister Sato Kilman Livtunvanu and Opposition Leader Rialuth Serge Vohor. Note that these are informal notes taken on the fly during the event itself. While we’ve made every effort to ensure that they are a fair and accurate representation of the questions as asked and their responses, they are subject to error and should not be construed as an authoritative record of events.

PM Face to Face

Question 1 – from Port Vila

Q: In reference to the PM’s Independence Day statement that Vanuatu will not be able to meet MDG goals by 2015. What is the strategy to help improve the literacy level in Vanuatu?

A: The PM notes challenges of islands spread over long distances and other concerns. He refers to the education road map and says education will be a priority for years. He wants to reach the goal of universal education but he wants to ensure the quality is not compromised in a rush to meet a goal, i.e., quality teacher training is currently a critical issue in Vanuatu.

 Question 2 – from Port Vila

Q: The Universal Primary Education Policy, in which primary school fees are subsidised by the government – which party’s policy was it?

A: The PM responds that this is a direct result of Vanuatu’s commitment to MDG goals. Although roughly 4 political parties are strongly advocating for this policy, Free Education Policy must be perceived as a government policy. PM reminds us that Vanuatu governments are typically coalitions, and policy is developed collectively.

Question 3 – from Port Vila

A: The PM responds that recent developments show prospect for progress in this regard.  This is an important issue that will require strong backing from all political parties. “Why do we want to have women in parliament?” For him, the issue is more about performance – how women can perform in parliament – just as expected of men.

Question 4 – from Saratamata, PENAMA province

Question 5 – from Port Vila

Question 6 – from Port Vila

Q: What is government strategy on supporting civil society?

Question 7 – from Port Vila

Question 8 – from Lakatoro, MALAMPA province

Question 9 – from Lakatoro, MALAMPA province

Q: Following the recent allegations concerning mismanagement in the Vanuatu National Provident Fund, what updates can you offer us?

A:PM responds that government has requested an independent audit and government will act on the recommendations of this audit. VNPF is a very significant body and failure to observe the rule of law will ultimately have very negative repercussions on development.

Question 10 – from Isangel, TAFEA province

Question 11 – from Port Vila

Question 12 – from Sola, TORBA province

Question 13 – from Luganville, SANMA province

Question 14 – from Port Vila

Q: Are old politicians ever going to hand the baton over to young blood?

Question 15 – from Port Vila

Question 16 – from Port Vila

Leader of the Opposition Face to Face

Question 1 – from Port Vila

Question 2 – from Port Vila

Question 3 – from Port Vila

Q: Free Education Policy is which party’s policy? Where is funding coming from?

A:LO responds that UMP is one of the political parties advocating for this policy. Education is fundamental for development in any country – if there had been free education 30 years ago, Vanuatu would be manufacturing mobile phones and creating car engines by now – today we cant even produce a match. Development partners such as AusAID and NzAID have made significant contributions in this sector.

Question 4 – from Saratamata, PENAMA province

Question 5 – from Luganville, SANMA province

Q: The CRP [Comprehensive Reform Programme] was initiated under your government. What’s your opinion on CRPs implementation?

A:LO responds that CRP is modeled around transparency, but the current government is not transparent. CRP goals not achieved as a result.

Question 6 – from Port Vila

Question 7 – from Lakatoro, MALAMPA province

Question 8 – from Port Vila

Question 9 – from Isangel, TAFEA province

Question 10 – from Port Vila

Continuing their civic engagement programme, PiPP organised these public forums in 2012 in the run up to elections this year. PiPP hosted MP Fes to Fes in every constituency starting with Pentecost in early March and concluded in May with Epi island.

Many voters and rural communities have long complained that after an election, their MP disappears to Port Vila for the next 3 years and they are rarely seen until just before the next election. Another issue is that when MPs do come back to their constituency, they do not co-ordinate with their fellow MPs from the province, making the decentralisation process less effective.

MP Fes to Fes proposes to strengthen MPs’ accountability to their constituents, increase public participation through ideas, aspirations and civic awareness. It also helps manage voter expectations about what their MP can and should do.

This pioneering initiative has the potential to be rolled out across the Pacific region following its success in Vanuatu. Several of the meetings were broadcast live or rebroadcast on national radio and television.

Included in the esteemed panel of experts included Ruth Choulai, Pacific Islands Trade and Investment, Alasdair Foster, Cultural Development Consulting, Elise Huffer, SPC, Doreen Kuper, Pacific Arts festival.