Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna says that former Nauru President Baron Waqa remains the designated nominee to assume the role starting in 2024, based on the leaders’ decision made in February this year, despite ongoing calls to revisit Waqa’s appointment.
Calls to reconsider Waqa’s appointment to the position came as early as within weeks of the leaders’ deciding that he was the man for the job during their retreat on Denarau, in late February this year.
Discussing reported ‘rumblings’ over Waqa’s appointment during a media update at the Forum in Suva today, Puna said,” That is a matter beyond me. I can’t comment on that. That is a matter for the leaders to deal with, and if there are any rumblings then there is a forum to deal with those.”
Waqa was the preferred candidate of the Micronesian leaders to lead the regional organisation, a decision that was endorsed by the leaders at their meeting in Nadi.
The decision is likely to be relooked at by the leaders at their meeting in the Cook Islands next month.
