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#Summarised by Centrist The Pacific Islands Forum has opened in Palau without the leaders of Fiji#Vanuatu#Samoa#Solomon Islands and Kiribati#weakening the show of regional unity as major security and economic questions crowd the agenda. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters says the absences are disappointing but insists the forum remains central to the region. His message for the meeting is blunt: “more doing#less hui”. The summit runs in Koror until 4 September. Leaders and senior officials will review the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent#discuss reform of regional institutions#and coordinate climate priorities ahead of COP31. Fuel and transport costs#jobs#connectivity and resilient infrastructure are also high on the agenda. Peters has flagged a possible announcement on relief for oil-supply disruption and says work on a proposed NZ$500 million Pacific resilience fund is back on track. Security tensions sit just below the surface. Pacific foreign ministers failed earlier this month to agree on a joint response to a Chinese missile test in the region. The United States#China#Japan and Singapore are returning as dialogue partners after being excluded from last year's meeting#while Taiwan's foreign minister is attending meetings and side events in Palau. Several absences have domestic explanations. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale returned home to face a no-confidence motion#while Kiribati cited a sitting parliament and limited flights. Ministers or officials will represent the missing leaders. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is due to join the leaders' retreat later in the week. The test for New Zealand is whether it can help produce tangible commitments on security#climate and economic resilience rather than another communique heavy on intent. Read more at Reuters and Pacific Media Network Image: DLiebisch Receive our free newsletter here

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