Posted on 09 July 2024
Baron Waqa, the newly appointed Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, has robustly dismissed criticism regarding his suitability for the role as ‘irrelevant’. Assuming office at the start of June, Waqa has already undertaken official visits to the Solomon Islands and Tonga, engaging with their respective Prime Ministers on matters pertaining to the upcoming 53rd Forum Leaders Meeting in Nuku’alofa. In his inaugural press conference, the former President of Nauru addressed the concerns raised by his detractors, asserting that the focus should remain on the Forum’s operations and adherence to best practices. Waqa underscored the importance of media as a partner, emphasising the need for collaboration to ensure that the Forum’s decisions and messaging are effectively communicated across the region’s vast and dispersed population