These series of meetings were held at the Forum Secretariat Headquarters in Suva, Fiji from 13-17 July 2009, i.e. the Small Islands States (SIS) Meeting on 13 July; the Pacific Plan Action Committee (PPAC) Meeting on 14-15 July, and the Forum Officials Committee (FOC) Meeting on 16-17 July 2009.
Most important of these meetings were the Forum Officials Committee (FOC) and the Pacific Plan Action Committee (PPAC).The FOC serves two purposes: 1. This is a senior officials preparatory meeting for the upcoming 2009 Forum Leaders Meeting and accordingly identifies key issues and make recommendations on them for the Leaders’ consideration . 2. The FOC is the governing council of the Forum Secretariat and therefore considers those matters affecting the operation and governance of the Secretariat, including its annual budget and work programmes. During the FOC meeting, Palau assumed Chairmanship of the Committee for 2009 due to established convention of alphabetical rotation of the Chair. The outgoing 2008 Chair was Niue. Accordingly, Foreign Affairs Director Jeffrey Antol Chaired the FOC Session on behalf of Palau, and will remain the Chairman for the remaining 2009 period.FOC Chairman Antol will be a part of H.E. President Johnson Toribiong’s Delegation to the 40th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Cairns, Australia as well as Minister of State Sandra Sumang Pierantozzi and other senior government officials. As a member of the FOC drafting committee that prepared the FOC recommendations, for the Leaders’ consideration, Mr. Uherbelau will also be part of the Palau Delegation. The letter containing FOC Recommendations was signed by FOC Chair Jeffrey Antol and will be circulated by the Forum Secretariat to all Pacific Islands Leaders in time before they meet in Cairns next month.
