17 September 2012: The Pacific Island Forum Secretariat (PIFS) announced that the Pacific Island Forum Leaders have agreed to the terms of reference (TOR) for an independent review of the Pacific Plan. The review will seek to better define the objectives of the Plan, assess its effectiveness, and ensure it remains the key driver or regional cooperation efforts for integration and cooperation over the next decade.

In addition, the TOR note, the review should provide a platform for prioritizing regional integration and cooperation efforts, and guiding the direction of the Plan over the next decade. The review also will assess the relationship between the Pacific Plan, the post-2015 global development agenda, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), pinpointing opportunities to further align the Pacific Plan with the international development agenda.

The TOR were agreed during the Forum Leaders’ Retreat, held in Aitutaki, Cook Islands, on 30 August 2012. The Retreat convened immediately after the 43rd Pacific Island Forum (PIF 43), held in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, from 28-30 August.

According to PIFS, the review will be led by Mekere Morauta, Papua New Guinea, with the support of two senior officials from Forum countries, as well as two consultants. The review team is expected to be in place and commence work by late October 2012. The Forum Leaders will consider an updated Pacific Plan at PIF 44, scheduled to convene in 2013 in the Marshall Islands. [PIFS Press Release] [Terms of Reference for an Independent Review of the Pacific Plan]