Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Says Climate, Rising Regional Tensions Are Top Concerns

Pacific Island Forum Secretary-General Baron Waqa has used his address to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, to highlight emerging threats facing the region. These, he says, include climate change and rising geopolitical tensions between Beijing and Washington. However, he said the leaders remain optimistic about finding collective solutions to address this crisis. He stressed the need to meet the climate challenges posed to the low-lying nations by prioritising resilience across all policies and sectors, particularly those that directly affect people, such as health and education. Waqa also highlighted the need to remain vigilant on regional security issues....