The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) has joined world leaders in paying tribute to Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88.
In a joint statement released on Tuesday, PIF Chair Hon. Aisake Valu Eke and Secretary General Baron Divavesi Waqa expressed their condolences, stating that they are joining “families, communities, and nations across the Pacific and worldwide in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis.
The leaders noted that the Pacific remembers Pope Francis for his empathy and humility, and considers him a “true friend of the Pacific,” particularly for his messages regarding climate change.
“We honor the late Pope Francis as a true friend to the Pacific—one who walked with us, listened to us, and inspired us to hope, care, and act for a better, more united world,” the statement said.
“His messages of peace and ecological justice resonated profoundly across the Pacific, where the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation are a lived reality,” the leaders added.
In November 2017, Pacific Islands Forum leaders met with Pope Francis at Vatican City.
During that meeting, the Pope acknowledged climate change as the existential threat to the Pacific region, especially concerning rising sea levels and increasingly severe climate events.
“It was a message that continues to echo powerfully through our ongoing climate advocacy,” Eke and Waqa stated.
The leaders also remembered His Holiness as a figure defined by empathy and humility.
“He was not only a spiritual guide but also a moral compass—one who understood the intersection of science, faith, and humanity. “
Among those who paid tribute to Pope Francis were King Charles, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and US President Donald Trump.
Other tributes came from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, among others. (By: Bernadette Carreon)