FIJI is hosting the 23rd Melanesian Spearhead Group Leader’s Summit that will be held in Suva on June 23.
Leaders will deliberate over two weeks on issues presented at the Senior Officials Meeting and Foreign Ministers Meeting. At these meetings, they are expected to address key priorities including regional security, climate change, oceans, economic integration, MSG Prime Minister’s Cup and the Melanesian Arts and Culture Festival.
Under the theme “A Peaceful & Prosperous Melanesia”, this year’s summit will conclude with a traditional handover of chairmanship to Fiji at the Bose Levu Vakaturaga grounds by Vanuatu as the current chair. Chairmanship is appointed on a rotational basis every two years.
Membership of the MSG comprises Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front of New Caledonia.
The MSG promotes and strengthens inter-membership trade, exchange of Melanesian cultures, traditions and values, sovereign equality, economic and technical cooperation between States and the alignment of policies to further common goals.
The Leader’s Summit is the highest decision-making body for the MSG which meets biennially and makes decisions by consensus of all leaders.
