Cook Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs & Immigration the Hon. Tingika Elikana co-chaired with Japan’s Foreign Minister Hon. Yoko Kamikawa the 5th PALM Ministerial Interim Meeting (PALM-MIM5) in Suva yesterday.
The Ministerial meeting follows last month’s Japan and Pacific Islands Forum Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) with the outcomes of the Ministerial to contribute towards preparations for the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) to be held in Tokyo from 16-18 July.
Minister Elikana was supported in his chairing responsibilities by Forum Secretariat officials as well as MFAI officials including Director International Affairs and Trade Division Mackenzi Wichman, who also chaired the preceding SOM meeting.
“We welcome the ongoing cooperation and partnership with Japan within the PALM framework and our collective efforts to align the areas of co-operation with our 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and its Implementation Plan as we progress preparations for PALM10,” Minister Elikana.
Within the priority areas for forward co-operation agreed by Forum and Japan’s Foreign Ministers yesterday, those being Climate Change and Disasters; Ocean and Environment; Resources and Economic Development; Technology and Connectivity and People Centered Development, the Cook Islands is particularly keen to focus early co-operation on initiatives that will bolster Pacific nations economic and climatic resilience.
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