First, it was the Pacific Way, then Pacific Solidarity! Now, sad to say, Pacific Solidarity could well be on its way out. Or else become just another term for cosmetic purposes.
If what has been happening is anything to go by, then kiss goodbye to regional solidarity.
Look at our failure to score the top World Health Organisation (WHO) Western Pacific regional director job, despite the leaders’ endorsement of the Tongan candidate, Dr Viliami Tangi, for the top post.
The highly qualified Tongan was let down by fellow Pacific islanders when five islands countries did not support his candidacy.
As a result a South Korean got the job. The islands missed out on a golden opportunity to get a lot more from WHO.
Tangi would also have been the first Pacific islander to have attained such a senior position in WHO.
Not only has the region lost out on that position, those responsible have also hurt the feelings of a fellow Pacific islands country and put in doubt their confidence in regional solidarity.
Sign of fracturing relations
The Tongans will now be questioning whether they can bank on fellow islanders for support.
As their Prime Minister, Dr Feleti Sevele, lamented: “What was lost in Manila was not a Western Pacific WHO post, but the integrity of the WHO election processes, the integrity of Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ commitment, and the integrity of the historical Pacific mutual support and loyalty. These were the tragic casualties at Manila, and they are far too important not to be addressed”.
It may also be more. It could be another sign of the fracturing of the once much vaunted regional solidarity.
Another example was when Kiribati went behind regional consensus to strike a fishing deal with two Latin American nations—Ecuador and El Salvador. Both countries are not members of the Tuna Commission.
Another example was when Papua New Guinea and Fiji defied the regional stance and signed an interim EPA (economic partnership agreement) with the European Union.
There are many other examples. In fact there are too many to list. But they all serve to highlight the fact that regional solidarity is diminishing or as they say, out of fashion.
As one regional expert, Dr Satish Chand, said: “Pacific solidarity, I think, is headed in the wrong direction. Solidarity, to be maintained, has to be founded on a common agenda.
“The Pacific, to the best of my knowledge, does not have a common agenda.
“During the early days of independence and when the South Pacific Forum was formed, the common agenda was a unified stance against the colonial powers—Australia, New Zealand and France. This is no longer the case.”
Dr Chand said the other major factor behind any solidarity is leadership.
“Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara was a natural leader and one who commanded complete loyalty and respect all around the region. Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, etc, all placed their complete trust in him.
Charismatic leader
“There is no one who has filled his very large (more or less literally) shoes. Ratu Mara was not perfect but he had charisma (mana!) as a leader.
“We have not produced anyone close to his stature since. My guess is that he was both born a leader and trained by the colonial authorities to take up leadership.
“Absent a common agenda and a charismatic leader, the Pacific Islands nations might as well say goodbye to solidarity.”
Another expert, who is very familiar with Forum issues, said Pacific solidarity is “becoming a rare thing these days. Now, it depends very much on the situation. The bottom line is national consideration.
“If the national interest is compromised by regional solidarity, then, of course, one will go for national interest.
“This happened in the case of Papua New Guinea and Fiji when they left behind the rest of the region and signed an interim EPA with the Europeans despite a decision to go as a group. This is where sovereignty reigns over regional solidarity.”
As we come to the end of the year, and with the current global financial crisis, can the islands countries afford to go their separate ways?
Perhaps, the current global situation could force the islands to relook at regional solidarity and why it is important to tackle the world as a group. As the saying goes, the bigger the group, the louder the sound and the more the islands can be heard. If only there was a Ratu Mara amongst today’s regional leaders to lead the way.
