NZ can push Pacific interests at Commonwealth

Comment: All too often in recent years, the discourse around international relations has focused on big, existential geopolitical questions – great power conflict, hard military force, zero-sum trade wars. In amongst the headlines, it can be easy to lose sight of the vast, international web of personal, private sector, and civil society relationships that sustain international relations. It is these diverse networks that help to build and grow international connections in the modern day.
Enter the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal states, and one of the world’s great champions of decentralised diplomacy. At a time of great global change, the Commonwealth is evolving into one of the world’s foremost forums for bottom-up diplomacy – few other organisations can bring together heads of state, civil society organisations, and businesses from every corner of the globe, tying together states as disparate and diverse as India, Singapore, Zambia, and Jamaica.
The centrepiece in the Commonwealth calendar is, of course, the biannual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which will take place this year in Samoa. 2024 marks the first Commonwealth meeting in the Pacific since 2011, at a time when the region’s priorities are at the forefront of the international to-do list. What’s more, it’s also a time of change for the Commonwealth too – this marks King Charles III’s first outing as Head of the Commonwealth, with new faces joining from the United Kingdom, Australia, and Nigeria, amongst others.
It also marks the end of Baroness Patricia Scotland’s eight-year term as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, meaning that the election of a new secretary-general will be high on the agenda.
This year’s meeting offers Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an opportunity to demonstrate regional leadership, building on New Zealand’s existing trust-based relationships with its Pacific partners by advancing the region’s interests in a few key areas. After missing last year’s Pacific Islands Forum due to coalition talks, Luxon should relish this opportunity to meet with almost all of New Zealand’s key Pacific partners in one place, demonstrating the country’s unique ability to speak on behalf of the region on the global stage.
Luxon’s engagement with the Pacific and its priorities shouldn’t just be confined to top-level engagement with his fellow heads of government, however. The Commonwealth Business Forum, hosted by the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council in partnership with the Samoa government, offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage directly with the Commonwealth business community. These are the business leaders driving trade, investment, and development in the Pacific and beyond, and present an enormous opportunity for advancing the Prime Minister’s broader international agenda.
So what should the New Zealand delegation focus on if it wants to make the greatest impact in Samoa?
Well, the election of a new secretary-general must be a priority; New Zealand’s convening power could be invaluable in bringing together the Pacific states and their eleven votes. While climate and development will undoubtedly be a priority for states like Tonga and Papua New Guinea, Luxon should also work to make sure that the importance of the private-sector in driving development is understood by any prospective secretary-general.
Then there are some of the substantive issues that will be on the table at the forum, such as access to finance – a particularly salient issue in the Pacific context. While the Commonwealth already provides climate finance for climate-resilient infrastructure through its Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, there is a role for the international private sector to play in supporting bankable projects in the Pacific. A trusted international face like New Zealand could play a key role in marshalling interested parties to craft a new, innovative market-led approach to access to finance in the region.
There are also challenges relating to accessing insurance and risk management services that the private sector is well-placed to assist on – whether in terms of capacity-building and training, or in terms of direct involvement in service provision.
Of course, development will be a focus of the discussion too. As Asia continues its ascendancy and Africa emerges onto the global stage, there is a risk that development conversations neglect the Pacific’s unique needs and interests.
While the temptation for some leaders will be to insist on greater provision of short-term development aid, Luxon’s private sector credentials leave him well-placed to push for a more market-driven approach. The Prime Minister is no stranger to the idea that sustainable growth requires organic private sector activity – and as recent Air New Zealand expansions in Samoa demonstrate, New Zealand will be a key part of that story for many partners in the Pacific.
At a time of flux in the Commonwealth and in the wider world, Luxon has an opportunity to shape one of the world’s largest international organisations in line with his vision for New Zealand and the wider Pacific region. With the right kind of diplomatic tact, a private-sector led Commonwealth which works to deliver market-driven growth in the Pacific and beyond is a real possibility.
After a busy few months focused on domestic political priorities, it’s time to see if the former Air New Zealand boss can fly on the global stage.