By Dr Transform Aqorau
HONIARA — In the shifting geopolitical landscape of the Pacific, it is increasingly evident that some scholars and policymakers from developed nations operate under a misguided assumption—that because we are from small island nations, we are somehow expected to accommodate their every request without question.
I recently encountered an instance that epitomises this condescending mindset. A researcher from a prominent university in a developed country reached out, expecting that as Vice Chancellor of a national university, I would personally arrange his meetings, facilitate his introductions, and act as his personal secretary during his visit to the Solomon Islands. The assumption was not only arrogant but also deeply disrespectful.
Let me be clear: I do not believe for one second that a Solomon Islands scholar would ever expect the Vice Chancellor of a major university in Australia, the U.S, or the UK to set up appointments on their behalf. The very idea would be unthinkable. And yet, when the roles are reversed, it seems perfectly natural for them to expect us to do so.
This is a reflection of a deeply ingrained neocolonial mentality, where the Pacific is still seen as a space that must be made readily available for external actors to study, dissect, and engage with on their own terms—often without regard for the power dynamics at play. It is an extension of the same attitudes that underpin much of the geopolitical competition in our region, where foreign actors view the Pacific as a chessboard for their strategic interests rather than as a collection of sovereign nations with our own agency, dignity, and priorities.
The respect deficit in engagements with the Pacific is a longstanding issue. Too often, visiting researchers, diplomats, and policymakers fail to recognise the expertise, authority, and institutional standing of Pacific leaders and scholars. They come with a sense of entitlement, assuming that our time and resources should be at their disposal simply because their research or policy agenda demands it.
If the assumption is that we will pander to this arrogance simply because we are from a developing country, then that assumption is gravely mistaken. We may be small, but we have our dignity. We may not have the economic power of global superpowers, but we are not obligated to accommodate those who refuse to engage with us as equals.
This is why I have made the decision not to entertain such disrespect. I will not meet with individuals who approach the Pacific with a mindset of superiority and entitlement rather than one of genuine partnership and mutual respect.
If scholars, policymakers, and researchers wish to engage with the Pacific, they must do so on equal footing. They must respect the processes, institutions, and people of the region. They must recognise that their research, however important they believe it to be, does not automatically take precedence over the work we are already doing in our own countries.
The days of Pacific nations being treated as mere subjects of study, passive actors in global geopolitics, or convenient points of access for external research must end. It is time for a fundamental shift in how engagement with the Pacific is conducted—one based on respect, recognition, and reciprocity, rather than expectation, entitlement, and imposition.
The Pacific is not a testing ground for external agendas. It is our home. And it is time we start demanding that those who wish to engage with us do so with the dignity and respect we deserve…. PACNEWS