BY GEORGINA KEKEA
CANADA’S Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau has met with leaders from the Pacific Island nations on Saturday. In his meeting with the Pacific Leaders, Trudeau spoke about funding infrastructure resilient to the effects of climate change.
“The opportunity that Canada takes very seriously to work with you on the very specific challenges facing small island developing states, the importance of capital flows and investments in infrastructure, are things that we are happy to sit down with you about,” Trudeau was reported to say at the start of the meeting.
Canadian Times reported that Trudeau said, island leaders want to frame themselves as key players in the Pacific region, both environmentally and economically.
Baron Waqa, president of Nauru, was reported by Canadian Times to tell Trudeau that tsunamis, earthquakes and cyclones have created enormous losses for the economies of smaller island states, while a rising sea level shrinks their territory and increases water salinity that effects their food security.
Prime Minister Rick Hou was also a part of the Pacific Leaders that met with Justin Trudeau at the APEC meeting in Port Moresby, PNG.
Trudeau was reported to take the opportunity to host Canada’s first leader to leader engagement with the Pacific Islands Forum.
The Pacific Islands Forum comprised of 18 members from Pacific Island countries including Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
During the meeting, Trudeau also made a commitment to expand trade and investment with the Asia-Pacific region, attract global investment, and create new economic opportunities and good, middle class jobs at home.
Prime Minister Trudeau highlighted how Canada was among the first countries to ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which will unlock unprecedented opportunities for Canadians and deepen trade and investment ties with APEC partners.
