Pacific Island leaders have struck a deal that looks set to stop the region's premier regional body from splintering, taking an important step towards healing an ugly rift opened by an acrimonious leadership contest last year.
Under the agreement, Micronesian leaders have abandoned their demand that current Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Henry Puna step down immediately, instead allowing him to serve out his term until 2024.
In return, Mr Puna will be replaced by a Micronesian candidate when his term finishes.
After that, the role will be rotated throughout the three Pacific subregions — Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia — in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the dispute which almost saw Micronesian countries quit the forum.
The deal was signed by several senior Pacific leaders after a crucial face to face meeting in Suva on Tuesday.
Current PIF Chair and Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, Samoa's Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown and three Micronesian leaders all took part in the talks.
The agreement will still need to be endorsed at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders' meeting due to be held in Suva next month, but most observers expect that will be a formality.
President of the Federated States of Micronesia David Paneulo said the deal meant that a "big dark cloud hanging over the Pacific" had now "evaporated".
"Just a few days ago, it could have been that we walked away and broke up the entire Pacific family, but the common ground that we reached has kept us together," he said.
Palau's President Surangel Whipps — who led the charge for Micronesia to withdraw from the forum after their candidate for secretary-general was defeated in a tight leadership ballot — said he and his fellow regional leaders were keen to strike an agreement that would allow PIF to stay whole.
"I think the most important outcome is the unity of the Pacific," he said.
New positions, office to be created for greater Micronesian representation
Mr Whipps also confirmed that Micronesian nations were no longer insisting that Mr Puna quit and be replaced immediately by one of their candidates
"At the end of the day, we believe it was Micronesia's turn to have a secretary-general. But now we will respect that there is a person in there now," he said.
"But at the end of his term, a Micronesian is going in for sure. And there's no more changing that because now we've agreed that it will continue to rotate through the islands."
The deal would also create a new architecture within the Pacific Islands Forum to ensure greater representation for Micronesia.
A new subregional Pacific Islands Forum office would be set up in a Micronesian nation, while the position of Pacific Ocean Commissioner — currently held by the secretary-general — would also be moved to Micronesia as a stand-alone role.
The agreement would also create two new deputy secretary-general positions, to be shared by the two subregions not currently holding the main secretary-general role.
It is likely the cost of some of these new arrangements will be borne by Australia and New Zealand.
Both Canberra and Wellington were anxious about the prospect of the forum splitting — particularly as China intensifies efforts to strike a new regional agreement with Pacific Island nations — and will be relieved to see the agreement struck.
Australia helped facilitate the meeting in Suva by flying Micronesian leaders to Suva on a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) plane and Australian diplomats and Ministers have been urging Pacific Island officials and leaders to reach a consensus to allow PIF to hold together.
While the agreement will be seen as a major victory for Mr Bainimarama — who was instrumental in bringing the leaders together for face to face talks — some Pacific Island officials have also given credit to Australia for encouraging reconciliation and offering logistical support to ensure it was landed.
