The Pacific Islands Forum is set to welcome Guam and American Samoa as Associate Members, following a strong recommendation from the Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting Friday.
Incumbent Forum Chair and Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown confirmed that the applications, which were submitted by the Lieutenant Governors of both territories, have gained widespread support and will now be forwarded to the Forum Leaders for final approval.
“There’s no doubt about it— Guam and American Samoa have met the criteria for Associate Membership.
“We’ve heard their cases, and there’s a clear consensus among the ministers. This recommendation will now go to the Leaders for a decision at the end of the month,” Forum Chair Brown said.
Brown emphasised the importance of the decision within the broader context of the Forum’s evolving regional architecture.
“While we’re fully backing their inclusion, we’re also reviewing the criteria for Associate membership and observer status as part of a wider review of our regional architecture. This could lead to some changes in how we define and handle these memberships going forward”
The applications from Guam and American Samoa are not expected to require any further supporting statements, with Brown confirmed that both territories have sufficiently demonstrated their qualifications.
“I don’t see any need for additional information. The requirements have been met, and the ministers’ recommendation is clear,” he said.
The inclusion of Guam and American Samoa as Associate Members represents a significant expansion of the Forum, aligning with the organisation’s mission to strengthen regional ties and cooperation
“They would have the same rights as any as the other two associate members that we have right now, which is Wallis and Futuna and Tokelau. “And there is no, I guess, restriction on them being U.S territories, one of the founding mandates of the Pacific Islands Forum was to look at Pacific countries and Pacific territories as part of a family. So in that regard, American Samoa and Guam both meet the qualifying criteria as territories within the Pacific who are wanting to be part of the Forum family,” said PM Brown.