BY MAVIS NISHIMURA PODOKOLO IN JAPAN

THE Pacific Island Leaders who have attended the Eighth Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM8) have welcomed Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s commitment to enhancing regional connectivity.
This is through resilient quality infrastructure development and provisions of means of transport in order to fully tap the economic potential of the region.
The leaders underscored the importance of developing quality infrastructure including sea ports and airport in an open, transport, non exclusive and sustainable manner, in accordance with international standards, which also respect sovereignty and peaceful use of such infrastructure.