CDI's 9th annual Pacific Parliamentary Dialogue concluded in the PNG highlands in December 2007 with parliamentary leaders from around the region emphasising the need to strengthen democracy to successfully manage conflicts in their societies.
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| ^ 'Breakout' group on Day 2 (clockwise from left front) Mr Pita K. Nacuva - Fiji | Hon Fiame Naomi Mata‘afa - Samoa | Mrs Luseane ‘Ofa Chesham - CPA | Hon Moses Maladina - PNG | Mr John English MP - Qld, Australia | Dr William F. Shija - CPA Secretary General |
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The CDI Dialogue brings together leading political figures from the Pacific Island countries, Australia and New Zealand to explore the ways to address contentious issues in conflict-affected societies and thereby strengthen and enhance the political governance of Pacific Island Countries. This year, parliamentarians from Papua New Guinea, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, and, for the first time, Timor-Leste, met to discuss the role of Parliaments in managing conflicts and learn about political developments in Papua New Guinea.
CDI holds the Dialogue to facilitate discussions by Pacific parliamentarians on issues of common interest whilst having the opportunity to look at aspects of parliamentary practice in other parliaments in the region. This year's Dialogue was held in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea from 11 - 13 December 2007. A particular focus of this year's dialogue was on political and economic developments in Papua New Guinea, one of the most complex and challenging environments for democracy anywhere in the world.
Although the overall theme of the conference was the role of Parliament in managing conflicts, the program was designed so that the first and third days focused on Papua New Guinea. This gave parliamentarians from elsewhere in the Pacific region, Timor-Leste, Australia and New Zealand the opportunity to learn about Papua New Guinea.
Despite enormous challenges, democracy remains resilient in PNG, with the recently-completed national elections being the seventh since independence. While recent electoral and party reforms have seen a marked improvement in political stability and peaceful electioneering, it is clear that parliamentary democracy also faces real difficulties in PNG. These include the capacity of the public sector, the growing influence of money politics, the changing regional security environment, and the growing influence of non-democratic Asian countries on PNG politics. Other speakers spoke honestly about some of the major challenges facing their countries, from the recent conflicts in Timor-Leste to the coups in Fiji and the ongoing struggle for political reform in Tonga.
This forthright focus ensured a rich and rewarding dialogue on difficult issues. This included the gap between PNG's abundant natural resources and its low levels of human development, the worrying political situation in post-coup Fiji, and the need for better relations between Australia and the Pacific Island countries.
There was also a strong influence on cross-country learning, such as how other countries could emulate the success of Bougainville and Timor-Leste of integrating women into their political process, and the potential for other Pacific Island countries to borrow elements of PNG's political party reforms.
The Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, HE Grand Chief Sir Paulias Matane, delivered the keynote address on PNG democracy. Other senior figures from PNG to speak at the Dialogue included the Hon Moses Maladina; Hon Francis Marus (deputy Speaker of the National Parliament); Hon Bart Philemon (deputy opposition leader); General Jerry Singirok (PNGDF Ret., Chairman, Guns Control Committee & former Commander, PNG Defence Force); and Mr Paul Bengo (Registrar of Political Parties).
Representatives from other parliaments in the region included Mr John English and Mr John-Paul Langbroek from Queensland; Mrs Judith Hopwood from New South Wales; Hon Dominic Itta and Hon Francesca Semoso OBE from the Bougainville House of Representatives; Mrs Ro Teimumu V. Kepa and Mr Pita K. Nacuva from Fiji; Ms Jill Pettis and Mr Pita Paraone from New Zealand; Hon Fiame Naomi Mata‘afa and Hon Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiataua from Samoa; Mr Domingos Sarmento and Mr Lucas Da Costa from Timor-Leste; and Mr 'Isileli Pulu and Mrs Lepolo Mahe Taunisila from Tonga.
The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Dr William F. Shija, also attended the Dialogue on what was his first-ever visit to the Pacific region.
CDI held the 2007 Dialogue with the support of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea and the Eastern Highlands Provincial Government. Funding from AusAid, with additional funding from NZAID and the CPA, helped to support this important contribution to improving political governance in partner countries by exposing participants to new ideas and enabling them to engage with fellow political practitioners from our region.
