Regional Integration and Self-Determination

Speech delivered to the World Bank, Fragility Forum,”The Pacific Way? Mobilizing SDGs for Peace and Security”

March 3, 2016, Washington, D.C., by invitation of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat. Speakers included: Sarah Mecartney, Pacifc Urban Specialist; Ashwin Raj, Governance, Democracy and Human Rights Specialist; Jane Sansbury, Country Program Coordinator, the World Bank; and Arnie Saiki, Coordinator, Moana Nui Alliance.

Moderated by: Timothy Bryar, Conflict Prevention Advisor, Pacific Island Forum Secretariat.

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I’m going to be speaking about regional integration and self-determination in the Pacific Island region in the context of both States and Territories. It may sound strange to speak about a kind of self-determination in this context, because it usually just applies to territories that are still bound by the tethers of Administering Powers. But after yesterday’s conference on the changing landscape of negotiation and dialogue—a discussion that looked at Boko Haram and ISIS as being examples of the changing state and strategic landscape, I’m sure that what I’ll be speaking about will fit right in.

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