Port Moresby Statement of 6th Pacific Civil Forum

PORT MORESBY STATEMENT
OF THE

Sixth Pacific Civil Society Forum Meeting
October 21st - 24th, 2005

PORT MORESBY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

THE PACIFIC PLAN

PREAMBLE

WE, the representatives of national and regional civil society organizations from the Pacific, who met in Port Moresby from the 21st to the 24th of October 2005, thank the Forum Leaders for the opportunity to contribute to their discussions at the 36th Pacific Islands Forum Summit.

WE appreciate the hard work that has gone into the preparation of the Final Draft document. We have some suggested changes and additions.

INTRODUCTION

SLOW DOWN ALL FURTHER WORK ON THE PACIFIC PLAN UNTIL THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS ARE PUT IN PLACE:

• More consultation with stakeholders at all levels;

• CSO representatives are included in all stages of the process, including the Pacific Plan Action Committee, and any review procedures.

ECONOMIC GROWTH

1. Economic growth initiatives in the Pacific Plan are not closely linked to social and environmental aims and should be subject to evidence-based objectives for:
• poverty reduction;
• environmental sustainability;
• maintenance of cultural diversity.

2. Fair distribution of resources: Civil society should be involved in the preparation of each government’s Annual Budget and will set up a monitoring process to follow delivery of services with strict guidelines and policies.

Trade (Strategic Objective 1)

3. We reiterate the appeal in the Apia Statement for a freeze on further commitments through free trade negotiations, further accession to the WTO, and the development of EPA-WTO compatible arrangements by Pacific ACP countries, until there has been transparent assessment of the actual and potential impacts of PICTA and PACER on PICs and local communities, full consultation and public understanding.

4. We reject the inclusion of PACER since it has not been triggered, and we reject its extension to include services.

5. (Strategic Objective14) Remove any reference in the Pacific Plan to a comprehensive framework for trade (including services) and economic co-operation.

6. (Strategic Objective1.2) The issue of labour mobility needs more analysis of its benefits and negative effects on PICs. There must be agreements between PICs, Australia and New Zealand governments and union movements in order to protect workers rights; Australia and New Zealand should offer labour mobility without requiring PICs to negotiate a services agreement.

7. (Strategic Objective 2.2) A gender inclusive and community-based approach must be brought to the digital strategy to ensure appropriate and accessible use of ICTs.

8. Australia and New Zealand must both meet international obligations to set tight timetables to allocate 0.7 percent of GNI (Gross National Income) to overseas aid, targeted mainly to the Pacific.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

9. (Strategic Objective 4) All Pacific Plan initiatives should be linked to the MDGs and national, regional and international poverty-related commitments.

Environment

10. (Strategic Objective 5)
• Add 5.6: “All sustainable development strategies must be developed and implemented with CSO participation”;

• Economic considerations and development must be based on sound environmental policies that can be monitored and enforced effectively with adequate funding;

• We urge Australia and New Zealand to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and Australia to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.

11. (Strategic Objective 6) The Pacific Regional Strategic Implementation Plan on HIV/AIDS must:
• Stress the need for greater national political will to address all issues including cultural practices, that lead to HIV/AIDS;
• Revive the cultural approach to the care of people living with HIV/AIDS to deal with the stigma;

• Provide NGOs and CBOs with appropriate resources for HIV/AIDS-related activities;
• Address specific needs of West Papua;
• Support national campaigns of HIV/AIDS awareness in culturally appropriate mediums and a variety of forms, e.g. drama, video, etc;
• Ensure that national HIV/AIDS coordinating mechanisms conduct themselves in an inclusive and transparent manner.

Education

12. (Strategic Objective 7)
• (Strategic Objective 7.3) These studies and scholarships should be allocated by Pacific Island selection panels including CS representation;
• The Forum is urged to negotiate with the French government to recognise all qualifications gained from the Pacific education institutions;
• A mechanism for the standardisation of quality teacher training across all PICs should be put in place in the Pacific Plan

Gender Equality

13. (Strategic Objective 8)
• There should be gender mainstreaming across all sectors of the Plan, in line with the MDGs and all relevant international and regional gender equality conventions and commitments;
• Pacific governments must be assisted to fulfill these commitments, including Women’s National Plans of Action; in particular increasing the numbers of women in decision-making up to the Parliamentary level.

Youth

14. (Strategic Objective 9)
• The Plan should include National and regional quality job creation strategies for young people, including opportunities in rural areas;
• Countries must develop and enforce legislation to prevent sexual exploitation of children and youth.

Culture

15. (Strategic Objective 11)

• The capacity of Pacific universities should be increased to incorporate courses on cultural and traditional knowledge, including languages. Scholarships should be made available for these courses;

• National legislation must be developed to protect indigenous knowledge, genetic materials, indigenous intellectual and customary property rights and languages. Funding must be made available for research in these areas.

16. Disability

• Activities of the Biwako Millennium Framework towards an inclusive barrier- free, rights based society for people with disabilities must be implemented and the drafting process of the United Nations Disability Convention should be supported (from Apia statement).
• Traditional, social and cultural safety nets must be developed as part of the Pacific Islands Forum planning process;

GOOD GOVERNANCE

17. All Forum member countries must set up a mechanism to monitor all human rights instruments including labour rights and to promote the ratification of those that have not been considered, working in liaison with civil society organisations and governments and ensuring that funding is available.

18. Special measures must be introduced to prevent all forms of violence against children including ratification of the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Child.

19. Australia and New Zealand must also be held accountable for any lapses in good governance.

20. All good governance initiatives should recognise the vital role of an independent media and active role of civil society in promoting good governance and holding governments to account.

SECURITY

21. In recognition of the economic, human security and environmental threats to peace in the region, we urge that the Plan takes all of these factors into account in a regional security plan;

22. (Strategic Objective 13.2) United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, Women, Peace and Security, must be incorporated into regional security policy;

23. We urge the Forum to set a definite time frame for the withdrawal of RAMSI;

24. We urge all Forum members to support the negotiation of a UN Arms Trade Treaty, particularly to control the trade in small arms. (refer Apia Statement)

Self-Determination

This Plan is incomplete without addressing issues of self-determination.

25. The Forum is asked to:
• Urge that the UN revisit the 1962 New York agreement on West Papua and the 1969 UN-endorsed “Act of Free Choice”;
• Grant West Papua official observer status in the Melanesian Spearhead Group meetings and Forum meetings in line with the recommendations of the 2004 Auckland Declaration;
• Lobby to have West Papua as well as Rapa Nui, Tahiti Nui and Hawaii, re-inscribed on the UN Decolonisation list (refer Apia Statement).

26. We call on Australia to negotiate a fair maritime agreement with Timor-Leste based on a median line (refer Apia Statement).

IMPLEMENTATION

27. Civil society organisations must be involved in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Pacific Plan at the regional and national level. Funding must be made available for these processes;

28. We call on all Forum governments to submit the Pacific Plan, when agreed, for Parliamentary ratification, allowing adequate time for consultation and debate.

24th October 2005

ENDS

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