Fiji, Sept. 13 -- Pacific Islands Forum Leaders have endorsed a new policy to govern engagement with external partners, aiming to strengthen Pacific ownership and ensure all partnerships align with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

In their communique, Leaders reaffirmed the importance of partnerships but stressed that they must be "genuine, durable, and accountable, and which strengthen Pacific leadership, voice, and engagement to ensure recognition and alignment with Pacific cultures, values, priorities, and collective interests."

The new Forum Leaders Policy on Partnerships replaces the old Dialogue Partner and Observer classifications, introducing a dual framework: Strategic Partners, with broad and long-term coopera...