Joint Statement on the 15th Southwest Pacific Dialogue

  • Media release
  1. The 15th Southwest Pacific Dialogue (SwPD) meeting was held in Manila, the Philippines, on 6 August 2017, in the margins of the 50th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, 24th ASEAN Regional Forum and related meetings.
  2. The 15th SwPD was chaired by the Hon. Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia. In attendance were H.E. Retno L. P. Marsudi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia; the Hon. Gerry Brownlee, Minister for Foreign Affairs of New Zealand; H.E. Rimbink Pato, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea; H.E. Hernâni Coelho, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste; the Hon. Manuel A.J. Teehankee, Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines.
  3. Ministers reaffirmed the relevance of the SwPD as a forum for open and friendly dialogue on issues of mutual and regional concern. They shared information and exchanged views on regional developments, including illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing, regional connectivity and regional health security.
  4. Ministers agreed to pursue concerted efforts to combat IUU fishing activities across the Southwest Pacific region, encouraging regional and international efforts to do so. They underscored the importance of sustainable use of fisheries and marine resources, and the need to share information on marine issues.
  5. Ministers highlighted the importance of regional connectivity in supporting inclusive economic growth, encouraging cooperation in transport, trade, energy and ICT infrastructure. They welcomed the second sub-regional workshop on connectivity development hosted by the Government of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby on 16 -17 March 2017.
  6. Ministers welcomed the briefing by the Hon. Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, on Australia's Health Security Initiative, given the importance of combating infectious diseases in the Southwest Pacific region.
  7. Ministers reaffirmed the importance of creating greater synergies between SwPD members and other regional organisations.
  8. Ministers thanked for Government of Australia for chairing the 15th Southwest Pacific Dialogue and welcomed the offer from Indonesia to chair the 16th Southwest Pacific Dialogue in Singapore, and to convene the First Meeting of the Working Group on Connectivity Development in Indonesia, in 2018.

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