CIRCULAR NO: 137/19

CP/13/1

19 July 2019

TO : OFFICIAL CONTACTS OF FORUM DIALOGUE PARTNERS

[Canada, Cuba, People’s Republic of China, European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia,
Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom,
United States of America]

FROM : MEG TAYLOR DBE, SECRETARY GENERAL

SUBJECT : CONCEPT NOTE - PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM LEADERS

SESSION WITH FORUM DIALOGUE PARTNERS

Further to circular #109 sharing Advice on Arrangements for the 50th Pacific Islands
Forum (PIF) Leaders meeting in Tuvalu, the Forum Secretariat writes to a) share a concept
note for the PIF Leaders session with Forum Dialogue Partners, scheduled for Friday 16 August
from 9.00am – 12.00pm, b) request advice from Dialogue Partners on speaking interest, and c)
provide details of a pre-briefing.

Concept note

2. As set out in the concept note (refer: Annex A), the PIF Leaders session with Forum
Dialogue Partners is based around the 50th Forum theme – Securing our Future in the Pacific
- with a particular focus on driving greater global and regional action on combating climate
change and protecting our ocean.

3. Priority on speaking interest will be given to those Forum Dialogue Partners

represented at the Ministerial level. The following definition is used for Ministerial: “A
politician who holds a ministerial portfolio and/or is the political head of a government
ministry and a member of the Executive branch of government. This definition would
consider the range from a Cabinet Minister at its fullest extent to a Parliamentary Under-
Secretary or Junior Minister in the least. Outside of Cabinet this would include heads of
intergovernmental organisations. This definition does not include politically appointed
individuals of diplomatic rank and/or special envoys.”

4. Forum Dialogue Partners that would like to speak at the session are invited to contact
Ms Bethany Sargent, PIFS International and Regional Partnerships Adviser by Monday 29
July, setting out the Head of Delegation that is proposed to make the intervention and the
guiding question they would like to address (as detailed in the concept note).

5. Forum Dialogue Partners are also requested to provide written official statements,
regarding their role and support for Forum Leaders’ priorities, to the Forum Secretariat for the
official record, ahead of the session. Official statements will not be read during the dialogue
session.

6. A full agenda for the PIF Leaders session with Forum Dialogue Partners, including a
list of speakers in order of protocol, will be provided to Forum Members and Dialogue Partners
in advance of the session.
Pre-briefing for Forum Dialogue Partners

7. A pre-briefing on the 50th PIF will be held for Forum Dialogue Partners on Friday 2
August from 2.00pm – 3.30pm in the Executive Conference Room at Forum Secretariat
Headquarters. Dialogue Partners unable to join in person are invited to join via teleconference
(for teleconference details, refer: Annex B).

8. To confirm attendance at the pre-briefing, advise of speaking preference or for any

queries, please contact Ms Bethany Sargent, PIFS Regional and International Partnerships
Adviser at bethanys@forumsec.org

Meg Taylor, DBE

Secretary General

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