Page 27 - Islands Business February 2023

Opinion Opinion

proposals calling a ‘grand compact’ between Australia and the tions. For too long, PICs have been treated as pawns in these
Pacific “The Fix”. geostrategic machinations by these coalitions and respective
There is obviously power disparity in our regional relations. members.
There is de facto power with Australia and New Zealand when The task facing the regional brains trust is not easy. That
it comes to their relative status as regards Official Develop- I admit. This is especially so when it comes to formulating a
ment Assistance (ODA). In the minutiae of our bilateral and regional architecture with clear mandate from PIF Leaders
regional relations, it is imperative to be aware of the extent ‘that PIF be at its apex and that works closely with regional,
of humanitarianism as against geostrategy in the composition multilateral and global partners.’
of ODA packages received. Of the former, it is also critical to Therein, methinks, lies the real test. However, with politi-
be conscious of the extent such ODA contributes to contin- cal economy work surpassing its third generational innova-
gency and climate change under the Boe Declaration and even tion and focussing more on ‘political analysis’, one can only
under the relevant prevailing Conference of the Parties of the anticipate that out of the depth of messy everyday politics,
United Nations Framework Agreement Convention on Climate elucidation will ensue that can be the magic bullet that will
Change (UNFCCC). As regards geostrategy, we must be aware effectively and systematically propel the 2050 Strategy and
of the undercurrents directed at keeping China at bay in the Pacific regionalism for the next two to three decades to
context of the prevailing US-China bipolarity. We must also be come.
aware of the undercurrents emanating from other global bod-
ies such as the G7 and the G20. The author is a former Fijian Ambassador and Foreign Minister and
When it comes to coalitions, be aware also that Australia runs his own consultancy company in Suva, Fiji.
and New Zealand are members of other coalitions, like the The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do
QUAD, Indo-Pacific, AUKUS, and the Partners in the Blue not necessarily reflect the opinions of this publication.
Pacific. Don’t allow PICs’ agency to be usurped by these coali-
U.S./Pacific

SHOW ME THE MONEY!

Continued from page 25 lowing through on the type of partnership the Pacific islands
require.”
nuclear attack submarines and a dry dock to service them, A bold pledge, given Washington is pouring funding, arma-
continued operation of the X-Band radar, improvement to ments and political capital into Europe after the Russian inva-
Hawaii military bases and increased funding for joint military sion of Ukraine, and President Biden faces challenges at home
exercises and wargames. in the lead up to the 2024 Presidential elections.
Biden’s Democratic party made a strong showing in No-
Following through on promises vember’s midterm elections, maintaining control of the U.S.
Fearful of Chinese diplomatic engagement with the region, Senate, but narrowly losing its majority of the House of
the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and France Representatives. This small Republican House majority gives
are pledging to step up in the Pacific. But Pacific island gov- significant power to a group of extreme right-wing politicians,
ernments and communities have heard this song before, from who are gearing up for a battle over the U.S. debt ceiling that
President George H.W. Bush’s failed Joint Commercial Com- may bring government to a grinding halt. With climate deniers
mission to President Barack Obama’s “pivot” to the region. gaining senior committee positions and Republicans establish-
There are still unfulfilled commitments from U.S. Secretary of ing a new China Select Committee, the danger remains that
State Hillary Clinton’s attendance at the 2012 Forum in Raro- U.S. policy in the Pacific will be driven by the objective of
tonga (to save paper, many press releases could be recycled containing China, rather than the priorities outlined in the
for when Forum leaders meets again in Cook Islands later this Forum’s 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy.
year)! “We’ll have to see with a new majority in the House
During his discussions in Fiji in December, Ed Case heard the whether we’ll make further progress,” Case acknowledged.
message about consistency and predictability loud and clear. “We are living in a very partisan time, with deep polarisation
“I acknowledge the anxiety in the Pacific islands about and division in our country that is also manifested in Congress.
whether our engagement will last, and whether they can However, with the increased geopolitical challenges that we
depend on us as full and consistent partners,” he said. “I’m face, the commitment to the Indo-Pacific and the re-engage-
not going to deny that anxiety. Clearly the challenge is on us ment with the Pacific islands has not been a partisan issue.
to prove that anxiety incorrect.” The Pacific Islands Caucus is non-partisan, and I believe
He argued, however, that “our country’s engagement with we’re going to continue with the same work in the next few
the Pacific islands is far more institutionalised, so it will sur- years.”
vive the shifting political tides in our country. I acknowledge
the need to follow through – and the consequences of not fol- nicmacllellan@optusnet.com.au

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