By: Eoghan Olkeriil Ngirudelsang
Koror, Palau – Following the Pacific Islands Parliament Group (PIPG) conference hosted by Palau last August 14-16, the organization made up of legislative bodies across the Pacific islands concluded with Ngibtal Declaration.
The 5 pages’ communique focused on “Human security in the Pacific Islands” outlined 30 actions for the organization to take to address pressing issues in the Pacific. Such issues were divided into 6 categories namely: Food Security, Matters of Regional Interest, Cyber Security, Gender Based Violence, Drug Trafficking, and Future Cooperation of Legislative Branches in the Pacific and General Matters.
Ngibtal Declaration on Matters of Regional Interest urged pacific governments to address cultural erosion, climate change, out migration, illegal drugs trafficking, food and cyber security threats among many other issues through people-centered policies and scientific data.
It called for food security to be addressed through decreased dependence on food imports and the exchange of agricultural and aqua cultural knowledge.
On cyber security it requested improvement to digital infrastructures and called for combat on cyber-crimes.
The declaration proposed enhanced scrutiny to policies with a gender equity lens to ensure that women have fair and equal access to education, housing, social, financial, and health opportunities among others strategies to combat gender based violence.
It further called for creations of information sharing mechanisms to combat illegal drug trafficking.
The declaration further stated that legislative bodies through this organization be institutionalized and become a counter part to inter-governmental structures in the Pacific and that the name of the organization be changed to Assembly of the Pacific.
During the opening ceremony of this conference, Speaker Anastacio stated “As the World’s attention increasingly turns to the Pacific, it is important that we as legislators are ready to guide our nations through these times of change” he further said “While foreign powers take an increasing interest in the Pacific, we should always keep our people in mind”
Palau is the only North Pacific island country member of PIPG. PIPG consists of legislative bodies of mostly South Pacific countries. It is a similar organization to that of APIL which is a a much older organization comprising of mostly North Pacific legislatures.