Fiji, Sept. 10 -- Pacific civil society leaders have called on Forum Leaders to institutionalise their role in regional decision-making, warning that shrinking civic space threatens democracy, transparency, and the delivery of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.

At the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting (PIFLM) in Honiara Tuesday, representatives from churches, youth, climate action networks, and human rights groups used the CSO -Leaders Dialogue to push for permanent mechanisms to embed community voices in Forum structures.

Pacific Conference of Churches(PCC) General Secretary, Reverend James Baghwan told leaders the Forum's theme, Iumi Tugeda - Act Now - for an Integrated Blue Pacific, must go beyond words.

"See...