The Spc
p. 13 · Read in the full issue
Community
The South Pacific Confer ence, often referred to as the United Nations of the Pacific, is the annual ‘general assembly’ of delegates rep resenting governments which participate in or are linked with the South Pacific Commission. The govern ments are from Pacific Island countries and from metropolitan countries which have a Pacific pres ence or Pacific links.
The commission has ex isted for 33 years but the
recently-concluded South
Pacific Conference in Port Moresby was only the 20th because the earliest confer ences were not held annu ally.
The commission was formed in 1947 following the suggestion of the then Aust ralian External Affairs Minis ter, Dr H. V. Evatt. At first it consisted solely of the six metropolitan countries which administered territ ories and trusteeships in the Pacific Australia, France, New Zealand, the Nether lands, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The Netherlands has since ceased to be a member, but an increasing number of Island countries are becom ing full participating mem bers in the wake of nation hood.
The commission is not a political alliance, but has developed from the common welfare, environmental, community and technical interests of the Island coun tries.