A strong push to get the Pacific islands “connected” was made at the recent Pacific ICT Ministers Forum, organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and held in Nukualofa, Tonga in mid-February.  
The buzzword was “connectivity” both domestic and international, with Pacific ministers throwing their weight behind the fast tracking of all efforts underway to achieve improved connectivity in the region.  
Shouldering the onus of action were the two main regional organisations SPC (Secretariat of the Pacific Community) and PIFS (Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat).
“We direct the SPC and PIFS to work with relevant regional and international agencies including funding agencies, to rapidly progress the implementation of regional connectivity solutions that will address the communication needs of the Pacific region,” the ministers stated in their communique.  
“We call for increased coordination amongst all stakeholders in the Pacific at regional, sub-regional and national levels to consolidate efforts to improve connectivity.”
With attention also focused on the role ICT can play in socio-economic development, the ministers further noted their recognition that ICT could only be fostered through good policy, regulatory and financial frameworks.  
But these are areas that have lagged behind as most Pacific countries experience rapid changes in their ICT and telecommunication sectors.  In recognising the need to bring regulatory capacity and skills up to speed with these changes, the ministers gave the go-ahead for PIFS officials to work on the establishment of “a shared regulatory resource centre” to be set up to help island countries with their individual needs.   
Alfred Soakai, deputy secretary at Tonga’s Department of Communications and chairman of the PIFS ICT Task Force told Islands Business that discussions on this resource centre will take place at this month’s annual general meeting of the Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA) in Nadi, Fiji.
“The resource centre will be there for capacity building and to provide policy advice, regulatory advice and technical assistance. The main aim is to bring the telecommunication regulators and policymakers up-to-speed because traditionally, the operators have more resources and skills. So we want to make sure the regulators are on par with the people they regulate. And also if a country has a major policy issue, for example, when  introducing competition or creating a framework for a competitive environment, this centre will be there to provide assistance,” Soakai said.
The Tonga meet was described as “very successful” and according to ITU, was attended by 117 participants including two prime ministers and 11 ICT Ministers from the Pacific, senior officers and representatives from regional and international ICT organisations as well as donor agencies.