The Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna met with the Samoa Umbrella for Non-Governmental Organisations (SUNGO) and a number of its member organisations last Friday. 

He was in Apia late last week as part of his in-country high-level consultations with PIF member states including Samoa. Earlier last Thursday he met with Samoa Government representatives, including Prime Minister, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa. 

The PIF delegation to Samoa late last week included Mr. Puna and Samoan diplomat, Aliioaiga Feturi Elisaia as well as Nikola Komailevuka, who is the Pacific Regionalism Adviser and also the Executive Coordination Officer for the Secretary General's office.

The meeting last Friday between the Secretary-General and the SUNGO and its member organisations was to hear civil society organisations’ views on regional issues, as well as seek the involvement of the civil society organisations in Forum processes. 

Mr. Puna said he was keen to see more involvement from civil society organisations, according to a media release issued by the SUNGO. 

During the meeting in Apia, the Secretary-General talked about current political developments in the region, which included nuclear developments in the Pacific, the Blue Continent Concept, and the need for regional cooperation.

The SUNGO members also raised a number of issues including the impact of the recognised seasonal employment [R.S.E.] Scheme on village communities, the impact of subsidies, poverty eradication, food security, and gender equality and digital transformation amongst various issues. 

The SUNGO executive and its members also expressed how grateful they were for the opportunity to voice their concerns directly to the Secretary-General about the impacts faced by communities within the Pacific.

Following the consultations between Mr. Puna and Samoa's civil society organisations last Friday, the Secretary-General flew to Australia from Samoa last Friday evening, where he is expected to meet with the Australian Prime Minister in Canberra this week.