Pacific Alliance Leaders Meeting
Encyclopedia
The Pacific Alliance Leaders Meeting (PALM) is a forum between the government of Japan
and leaders in the Pacific Islands
region. The Pacific Alliance Leaders Meeting was established by Japan in 1997 in order to facilitate and strengthen relations
with the leaders of the nations of the Pacific Islands Forum
. Since its foundation, PALM has become an important venue
of dialogue
between Japan and Pacific Island nations for important issues such as development aid
and climate change
.
in 1997, while the most recent forum met in Hokkaido
, Japan
in May 2009.
. The meeting was jointly co-chaired by then Prime Minister of Japan
Taro Aso
and the Premier of Niue
Toke Talagi
, who was also the chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum at the time.
The 2009 PALM summit was divided into three main themes or objectives
.
Fiji
, which is under a military dictatorship, was invited to the 2009 PALM forum. However, Commander
Frank Bainimarama
, the leader of the 2006 coup, was not invited to the meeting.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and leaders in the Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
region. The Pacific Alliance Leaders Meeting was established by Japan in 1997 in order to facilitate and strengthen relations
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
with the leaders of the nations of the Pacific Islands Forum
Pacific Islands Forum
The Pacific Islands Forum is an inter-governmental organization that aims to enhance cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific Ocean. It was founded in 1971 as the South Pacific Forum...
. Since its foundation, PALM has become an important venue
Venue
- Locations :* Venue , the place a case is heard* Change of venue, moving a trial to a new place* Music venue, place used for a concert or musical performance* Sport venue, place used for a sporting event...
of dialogue
Dialogue
Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more people....
between Japan and Pacific Island nations for important issues such as development aid
Development aid
Development aid or development cooperation is aid given by governments and other agencies to support the economic, environmental, social and political development of developing countries.It is distinguished...
and climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
.
PALM meetings
There have been five PALM meetings since the forum's founding - 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009. The first meeting took place in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
in 1997, while the most recent forum met in Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in May 2009.
PALM 4
At the meeting of the PALM 4 in 2006, Japanese and Pacific leaders adopted the Okinawa Partnership. Under the Okinawa Partnership, Japan agreed to increase its commitment to the development of Pacific Island Forum countries.PALM 5
The 5th forum of the Pacific Alliance Leaders Meeting, also known as PALM 5, took place between May 22–23, 2009, in HokkaidoHokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
. The meeting was jointly co-chaired by then Prime Minister of Japan
Prime Minister of Japan
The is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
Taro Aso
Taro Aso
was the 92nd Prime Minister of Japan serving from September 2008 to September 2009, and was defeated in the August 2009 election.He has served in the House of Representatives since 1979. He was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007, and was Secretary-General of the LDP briefly in 2007 and...
and the Premier of Niue
Premier of Niue
The Premier of Niue is Niue's head of government. He or she is elected by the Niue Assembly, and forms a Cabinet consisting of him- or herself and three other members of the Assembly....
Toke Talagi
Toke Talagi
Toke Tufukia Talagi is the current premier of Niue. He was elected premier by the Niue Assembly on 19 June 2008, defeating the standing premier Young Vivian by fourteen votes to five, with one abstaining....
, who was also the chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum at the time.
The 2009 PALM summit was divided into three main themes or objectives
Goal
A goal is an objective, or a projected computation of affairs, that a person or a system plans or intends to achieve.Goal, GOAL or G.O.A.L may also refer to:Sport...
.
- The first theme was entitled, "Eco-friendly: creating a Pacific Environmental Community," which addressed the issues concerning the environmentNatural environmentThe natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
and climate changeClimate changeClimate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
. - The second theme was called "Rich: Overcoming vulnerabilities and promoting human securitySecuritySecurity is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...
." This objective discussed what are known as human security issues, including health, water supply, and education in the small island states of the Pacific. The main focus of this discussion was to build the capacity of these resources. Japan planned to discuss its efforts to alleviate the impact of the Global financial crisis of 2008–2009 on the Pacific island nations. - The third theme was called "We are Islanders: People to People exchange." This theme's objective was to strengthen cultural exchanges of people between Japan and the Pacific Islands in a way that would benefit both sides strategically.
Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, which is under a military dictatorship, was invited to the 2009 PALM forum. However, Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
Frank Bainimarama
Frank Bainimarama
Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of April 2009, Prime Minister...
, the leader of the 2006 coup, was not invited to the meeting.