Melanesian Spearhead Group

Melanesian Spearhead Group was formed with focus to promote economic growth among Melanesian countries. The purpose of the group are:^[1]

1. To promote and strengthen inter membership trade, exchange of Melanesian cultures, traditions, values and sovereign equality;
2. To foster economic and technical cooperation between the members; and
3. To align member country's policies and further member's shared goals of economical growth, sustainable development, good governance and security.

One of the key features of the MSG is the Melanesian Spearhead Group Trade Agreement, a sub-regional preferential trade agreement established to foster and accelerate economic development through trade relations and provide a political framework for regular consultations and review on the status of the Agreement, with a view to ensuring that trade both in terms of exports and imports is undertaken in a genuine spirit of Melanesian Solidarity and is done on a most favoured nation (MFN) basis. Negotiations are held regularly between the members' leaders to consider the progress and developments of the agreement. After a revision in 2005, it covers 180 articles free of fiscal duty.

Formation

The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) was conceived in 1986 between the three Melanesian Pacific Island Countries namely Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon Islands.^[1] The MSG Trade Agreement was signed in 1993 by Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. At the 6th Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Trade and Economic Officials’ Meeting on 16 April 1997 in Honiara, the Fiji delegation indicated its willingness to accede to it. This initiative was endorsed at the 1997 MSG Leaders Summit. Fiji became a formal member of the MSG Trade Agreement on 14 April 1998. The 9th MSG Trade & Economic Officials meeting was held in Papua New Guinea on 29 and 30 November 2000. This meeting saw the acceptance of the expansion of the MSG Product Schedule tariff headings from four digit to six digits, thereby facilitating MSG trade by removing the ambiguity in product identification at Customs points of entry. The agreement is General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) consistent and has been approved and accorded recognition by the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Regional Arrangements to be compatible and meeting the requirements of Article 24 of the GATT/WTO Agreement.

The Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat was established in May 2008 after years of operating on an ad-hoc basic. The opening of a permanent office in Port Vila, Vanuatu, signaled a new phase for the MSG group as it ventured into organizing and managing its affairs in a more structured manner.^[8]

Politics

More recently, the Melanesian Spearhead Group got heavily involved in the political discussions following Fiji's suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum in May 2009.^[9]

In July 2010, Fiji expelled Australia's acting high commissioner accusing the latter of causing the postponement of a so-called Engaging Fiji meeting.^[10] Australia responded that it had to do with the lack of democracy in the country. An alternate meeting was held instead despite pressure from Australia and New Zealand.^[11] It was attended by Prime Minister Michael Somare of Papua New Guinea, Prime Minister Derek Sikua of the Solomon Islands, President Anote Tong of Kiribati, Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia of Tuvalu, and Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama of Fiji.^[12]

Melanesian Spearhead Group is also involved in the issue of Papua, which involves the Indonesian government and a West Papuan separatist movement. Melanesian Spearhead Group's role in raising the international profile of New Caledonia's Kanak independence movement, has prompted West Papuan Independence activists to recognise the significance of its membership. The West Papua National Council for Liberation (WPNCL) hopes to use Melanesian Spearhead Group as an international platform to fight for independence.^[13]

Indonesia, however, also applied for MSG membership in 2010, arguing that Indonesia is home to 11 million Melanesians mainly residing in 5 provinces in Eastern Indonesia; Papua, West Papua, Maluku, North Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara.^[14] Indonesia won observer status in 2011 with the support of Fiji and Papua New Guinea.^[13] East Timor was granted observer status in 2011.^[15]

In May 2013, Buchtar Tabuni, the leader of the National Committee for West Papua (KNPB) supported the notion that if West Papua was granted independence, he would support them joining the MSG.^[16] The WPNCL submitted an unsuccessful application to the MSG in October 2013.^[13] The MSG advised that West Papua independence organizations must first unite for any future applications to be considered.^[17]

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) was formed in December 2014.^[17] A second application of West Papua independence movement has been submitted in 2015 by the ULMWP, led by spokesperson Benny Wenda.

Expansion

In 24 to 26 June 2015, the summit meeting of the member countries in Honiara, Solomon Islands^[18] concluded with key decisions; Indonesia was elevated to associate member of the group — making them the official representative of West Papua region, while the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) remained as an observer.^[3][19] The ULMWP was considered only as the representative of West Papuans outside the country.^[4]

Despite being denied of full membership, ULMWP secretary-general Octavianus Mote regarded the observer status positively, saying the diplomatic recognition would help them in their cause. "We might not be a full member of the MSG, but a door has opened to us. We will sit across a table from Indonesia as equal," he said.^[20]

However, Indonesia's membership of the MSG has giving them a greater influence in Melanesian politics than the ULMWP. In MSG, Indonesia's official representation will be the governors of Indonesia's five Melanesian provinces. Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama, who supported Indonesian membership, argued that his vote was guided by a number of main principles in approaching the West Papuan issue. "Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua cannot be questioned, and the province is an integral part of Indonesia, so when we deal with West Papua and its people, MSG has no choice but to deal with Indonesia, in a positive and constructive manner," he said.^[20] Following the decision of elevating Indonesia to associate member, the government of Indonesia, for the first time, hosted the Melanesian Cultural Festival 2015 in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara from 26 to 30 October 2015, which is aimed at improving cooperation among Melanesian countries. The festival was participated by all members of MSG except Vanuatu, and also Timor Leste.^[21]

Country	Head of Government	Status governing
East Timor	President Jose Ramos Horta	observer[15]
Fiji	Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka	sovereign state
Indonesia[14]	President Joko Widodo	associated member[3][22]
New Caledonia	FLNKS Head Representative Victor Tutugoro  Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front - FLNKS	party
Papua New Guinea	Prime Minister James Marape	sovereign state
Solomon Islands	Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare	sovereign state
Vanuatu	Prime Minister Charlot Salwai	sovereign state
West Papua	ULMWP General Secretary Octavianus Mote  United Liberation Movement for West Papua - ULMWP	observer[22]

Population

Country		Population		Status governing
East Timor		1,340,513		observer
Fiji		926,276		sovereign state
East Nusa Tenggara	Indonesia	5,325,566	13,895,201	provinces of associate member
Maluku		1,848,923
North Maluku		1,282,937
Southwest Papua		591,069
West Papua		542.999
Papua		2.022.645
Central Papua		349.634
Highland Papua		1.417.811
South Papua		513.617
New Caledonia	Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front	271,407		political party
Papua New Guinea		8,935,000		sovereign state
Solomon Islands		652,857		sovereign state
Vanuatu		307,815		sovereign state

Economy

Country		GDP 2022 (in billion $)		GDP PPP 2022 (in billion $)		Status governing
East Timor		2.455		5.347		observer
Fiji		4.859		12.685		sovereign state
East Nusa Tenggara	Indonesia	7.995	40.213	24.948	125.484	provinces of associate member
Maluku		3.616		11.283
North Maluku		4.775		14.900
Southwest Papua
West Papua		6.148		19.195
Papua		17.649		55.167
Central Papua
Highland Papua
South Papua
New Caledonia	Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front	10.071		11.110		political party
Papua New Guinea		31.362		39.083		sovereign state
Solomon Islands		1.601		1.671		sovereign state
Vanuatu		0.984		0.922		sovereign state

• Polynesian Leaders Group, launched in 2011, partly as a response to the MSG
• Pacific Islands Forum

• Agreement Establishing the Melanesian Spearhead Group.
• Melanesian Spearhead Group Trade Agreement.
• MSG: trading on political capital and Melanesian solidarity, Pacific Institute of Public Policy, Briefing Paper 02, July 2008.
• The Renaissance of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, The New Pacific Diplomacy 2015