Ukraine has officially been granted sectoral partner status in the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), which brings together 18 states and territories in the Pacific region. The decision was made by the organization’s leaders at the 55th summit in Palau, held from August 30 to September 4, 2026, the Ukrainian Embassy in Australia reported on October 25.
According to the diplomatic mission’s statement, the Forum Secretariat sent an official notification confirming Ukraine’s inclusion in the Sectoral Partnership Stream.
This decision was the result of more than three years of diplomatic efforts aimed at expanding Ukraine’s relations with the states of Oceania and regional international organizations.
The new status provides for the possibility of regular political dialogue with Forum member states, particularly within the framework of the organization’s annual meetings of foreign ministers with international partners (Forum Foreign Ministers–Forum Partners Dialogue).
In addition, Ukraine and the Forum will be able to develop a joint cooperation plan in areas of mutual interest.
Kyiv has identified food security, digital governance, education, and climate change adaptation as priority areas.
In particular, developing cooperation in the area of food security could create additional opportunities for Ukrainian agricultural and food producers. Countries in the Pacific region are interested in increasing the resilience of food supplies, as many island economies are heavily dependent on imports.
Another promising area is the exchange of Ukraine’s experience in the digitization of public services and the development of e-governance.
In the field of education, this new format of cooperation could facilitate academic exchanges, joint research programs, and the training of specialists.
However, the embassy’s statement did not announce any specific trade agreements, investment projects, or financial commitments. Ukrainian diplomacy attaches particular importance to cooperation with the states of Oceania on issues of international law, compliance with the UN Charter, and the protection of states’ sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The embassy emphasized Ukraine’s interest in strengthening international support for the principle that state borders cannot be altered by force.
Ukraine also expressed its gratitude to the leadership of the Forum Secretariat and to all 18 member states and territories of the organization for supporting the decision to grant the new status.
The Pacific Islands Forum was established in 1971 under the name South Pacific Forum. In 2000, the organization adopted its current name. Its headquarters are located in Suva, the capital of Fiji.
The Forum’s members include Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, Tuvalu, Palau, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Cook Islands, Niue, as well as French Polynesia and New Caledonia.
The organization addresses issues of regional economic integration, trade, climate change, sustainable development, and security. One of its key strategic documents is the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
At the 2026 summit, member states approved an updated mechanism for engaging with international partners, which divides cooperation into strategic and sectoral areas.
Ukraine’s attainment of sectoral status creates an institutional framework for long-term cooperation with the nations of Oceania; however, it does not mean that the country has joined the Forum as a full member.
Source: Embassy of Ukraine in Australia, official statement dated October 25, 2026.
DIPLOMACY, FOOD SECURITY, international cooperation, Oceania, UKRAINE
