Pacific Islands Forum: Ardern says total membership ‘critical’ as PIF shaken by Kiribati’s exit

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern says the the Pacific Islands Forum can still work together despite Kiribati’s exit. Photograph: Steven Saphore/AFP/Getty Images

Jacinda Ardern says total membership is “critical” for the Pacific Islands Forum in the wake of the shock departure of Kiribati on the eve of the event.

Days after she called for regional cooperation in the face of China’s rise, the prime minister, who is travelling to the forum on Monday, said the meeting “comes at a critical time for the Pacific, with the region facing climate, environmental, governance, and human development challenges, as well as sharpening geostrategic competition”.