The Marshall Islands remain supportive of the Suva Agreement, it said in a statement to the media in which it also outlined reasons for its absence from the 51st Forum Leaders meeting that ends today in Fiji’s capital city, Suva.
In the statement, the Marshall Islands Foreign Affairs said that the country’s President David Kabua was meant to attend the meeting but could not because of “certain Constitutional processes.”
The country’s leader had informed Fiji’s Prime Minister and Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum Voreqe Bainimarama, in a letter, about his absence.
“The President’s letter also informs that the RMI…has the political intention to uphold its end of the agreement to withdraw its prior denunciation letter.”
The Suva Agreement which outlined provisions addressing the Micronesian countries’ concerns regarding the Secretary General’s appointment was drawn up following discussions between the prime ministers of the Cook Islands and Samoa, presidents of the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau, and the Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in Suva on 6 – 7 June 2022.
The agreement is expected to be considered today by all leaders.
