[Title] PALM10 Joint Action Plan

This Joint Action Plan was endorsed by the Leaders and outlines specific actions that Japan and PIF Members (The PALM Partners) will jointly undertake over the next three years based on the seven priority areas of cooperation in line with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent (2050 Strategy). All Joint Action Plan initiatives will consider the national context of each country in which projects are implemented and will respect the national processes, mechanisms and structures in place.

1. Political Leadership and Regionalism

Enhance policy-level dialogue: The PALM Partners will actively participate in meetings within the regional architecture, such as the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Dialogue Partners Meeting and PALM related meetings, to respect and support the policies and initiatives of the PIF and the Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific (CROP) agencies, and to promote constructive dialogue and work together to address regional priorities. The PALM Partners will cooperate with all Partners sharing the objectives based on the region's priorities, while always respecting regional unity. The PALM Partners will also continue learning from each other, deepen mutual understanding, and foster further solidarity through the PALM process and high-level visits. The PALM Partners will support regionally developed capacity building initiatives on leadership at all levels and across mutually agreed sectors.

Bearing in mind the Pacific Island Countries' aspiration to build regional scientific capacity and monitoring capabilities to assess the health and well-being of Pacific marine eco-systems, including human health, PIF Leaders further requested that the recently decided assistance by Japan through the IAEA and earmarked for the Pacific be delivered through engagement by IAEA in the region, as appropriate, including with relevant Pacific regional organizations.

2. People-Centered Development

Cooperate toward "Healthy Islands Vision": The PALM Partners will strengthen cooperation in addressing both communicable and non-communicable diseases, lifestyle related diseases and developing resilient health care system towards achievement of universal health coverage through building medical facilities, provision of quality medical equipment including telemedicine and building capacity by incorporating "KAIZEN" know-how for health and medical workers. The PALM Partners will also participate in discussions at the Pacific Health Ministers Meetings (PHMM) and cooperate at the policy level.

Improve the quality of education: The PALM Partners will, in support of the implementation of the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF), cooperate in capacity building for the provision of quality basic education services such as through the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) especially in the field of mathematics, improving educational attainment using educational materials for primary education, strengthening primary teacher pre-service training in Mathematics and Science and sharing knowledge of Japan's education experience by education policy advisor. The PALM Partners will also collaborate to improve access and the quality of education through the development of educational facilities through the Grant Assistance for Grass Roots Human Security Projects.

Foster next generation leaders of the PALM Partners: The PALM Partners will foster the next generation of leaders through the MEXT Scholarship Program from which Pacific Islands region would have increased quota, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)'s training programs, SDGs Global Leader Program and Japan Foundation's Program. The PALM Partners will also benefit from the Projects for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS), a new grant-aid program for junior public service officers from Pacific Island Countries Members to pursue postgraduate degrees in Japan.

Promote youth and academic exchange for the future: The PALM Partners will further promote youth exchange through the Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS), the Children Exchange Programme with Micronesian Islands, Sakura Science Exchange Programme, and a marine education program for youths which was developed in Japan. The PALM Partners will also work together to promote academic exchanges through the Pacific Academy of Sciences and International Fellowships for Research in Japan.

Strengthen Kizuna through grassroots and sports exchange: The PALM Partners, in cooperation with the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting and Governors (PALM&G), and in collaboration with JICA and the Pacific Islands Center (PIC), will actively promote grassroots level exchanges and human resources development by utilizing local governments' strengths and unique characteristics.

The PALM Partners will also further strengthen people-to-people exchanges through JOCVs and Japanese UN Volunteers in various fields, the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme and sports cooperation such as rugby.

Promote mutual understanding through cultural exchange and language education: The PALM Partners will cooperate on cultural exchange through Japanese arts and culture exhibitions, Japanese film screenings and preservation of Pacific's cultural assets/heritages and literature with digital technology. The PALM Partners will work together to explore how to promote Pacific in Japan. The PALM Partners will also endeavor to enhance cooperation in increasing opportunities for Japanese language education for PIF Members through various programs.

3. Peace and Security

Promote peace and stability as the basis for social and economic development: The PALM Partners will work together through existing Pacific regional architecture, to deliver on the actions outlined in the Pacific Transnational Organised Crime Disruption Strategy 2024-2028, and build capacity in the areas of law and justice, security, and drug control through newly developed Strategic Dialogue on Law and Justice, the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders (UNAFEI), and the Asia-Pacific Operational Drug Enforcement Conference (ADEC). The PALM partners will also enhance cooperation in strengthening the fight against money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation financing in the Pacific Islands region through APG (Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering). PALM Partners will also explore opportunities, working through regional architecture, to create safe, secure and stable communities.

Enhance regional security network: The PALM Partners will, based on national request, respect for national sovereignty, policies and processes, strengthen defense exchanges through port calls in the Pacific by Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF) aircrafts and vessels. The PALM Partners will also continue cooperation for fostering mutual understanding and confidence building through the Pacific Islands Forum.

Raise awareness of PIF's contribution to global peace and security: The PALM Partners will cooperate, based on national request, and respect for national sovereignty, strategies, policies and processes, in capacity building for Pacific Island Countries UN PKO personnel deployment and advocate its willingness to contribute to global peace and security which is interconnected with the security of PALM Partners.

Reinforce capacity for maritime security and maritime safety: The PALM Partners will continue cooperation in building capacity of the coast guard authorities based on national request, respect for national sovereignty, policies and processes, through dispatch of the Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT) from the Japan Coast Guard, building capacity for developing navigational charts, technical cooperation for Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) by Japan and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and supporting the development of a fisheries and maritime training school. The PALM Partners, based on national request, respect for national sovereignty, policies and processes, will also strengthen maritime security and maritime safety through JICA's technical cooperation and Japan's new cooperation framework, Official Security Assistance (OSA).

Strengthen networks among coast guard authorities: The PALM Partners will, based on national request, respect for national sovereignty, policies and processes, strengthen coast guard exchanges through port calls in the Pacific by coast guard's vessels to deepen mutual understanding and confidence building among coast guard authorities. In addition, the PALM Partners will continue cooperation for fostering mutual understanding and confidence building through the Coast Guard Global Summit.

4. Resources and Economic Development

Promote initiatives for financial infrastructure and integrity: The PALM partners will strengthen collaboration in the area of financial infrastructure such as the Central Bank Digital Currencies and savings bonds system. As for the Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC), the PALM Partners will promote their understanding on potential implications, including through cooperation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with its CBDC handbook launched last year.

Support Pacific in addressing the issue of correspondent banking relationship (CBR): A CBR Roadmap for the Pacific has been developed and is currently being implemented in collaboration with PIF development partners. The Roadmap is a multi year plan with eight recommendations and 37 priority measures to address de-risking of CBR in the Pacific. These include collecting and reporting of standardized CBR data; developing risk assessment methodologies that would provide information about actions on anti-money laundering, combatting the financing of terrorism , and proliferation of financing (AML/CFT/CPF ); assessing the strengths and gaps in current information sharing frameworks; undertaking remittance corridor risk assessments; and developing a CBR resilience framework, for underscoring the need for sustained and coordinated effort by PIF Members and development partners. The PALM Partners will work together to support the implementation of the CBR Roadmap including implementation of relevant outcomes from the Pacific Banking Forum which was held on 8-9 July 2024 in Brisbane, Australia.

Support the UN collaboration with SIDS on the development of a Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI): A MVI with global buy-in will give more data, and better understanding of the climate change challenges facing the Pacific region. For many years, SIDS have been calling for the development of a MVI that truly measures and considers ecological and economic vulnerabilities.

Strengthen capacity building for financial management: The PALM Partners will strengthen cooperation in building capacity for customs administration for revenue collection and trade facilitation in coordination with organizations such as the World Customs Organization (WCO) and Oceania Customs Organizations (OCO). The PALM Partners will also continue cooperation in building capacity in the field of public financial management, including project appraisal and monitoring, budget planning, budget execution, debt management, and public investment bilaterally and multilaterally including through peer to peer learning and coordination with International Financial Institutions such as the IMF where Japan just made an additional contribution to its regional technical assistance center, the Pacific Financial Technical Assistance Centre (PFTAC) in Fiji.

Strengthen economic and trade partnerships: Starting with the Pacific-Japan Investment Seminar to be held in October 2024 at the PIF Secretariat in Suva, Fiji, the PALM Partners will further collaborate through economic seminars, business forums and business matching events, including with startups, aiming to establish business incubators to discuss policies, initiatives, challenges, and prospects towards expanding trade, investment and tourism, and explore possibility of Public Private Partnership and business-related MOUs for peer to peer learning opportunities between Japanese and Pacific businesses in the area of innovation, digital economy, value addition and technology to name a few. Furthermore, the PALM Partners will explore maximizing opportunity to promote their respective cultures and tourism to the world at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. The PALM Partners will continue collaboration in further easing Japanese visa issuance requirements, including further consideration of visa exemption arrangements.

Mutually Beneficial Arrangement for Pacific Islands Centre (PIC) Tokyo: The PALM Partners will continue to engage in progressive discussions to arrive at an amicable long-term arrangement for the PIC Tokyo office through continued close consultation between Japan and PIF including continuing to ensure appropriate involvement in decision making and determination of priorities by Forum Island Countries.

Promote local industry development: The PALM Partners will further strengthen cooperation in developing sustainable fisheries industry in the Pacific including supply of vessels, the rehabilitation/maintenance of fisheries facilities and support for local fisheries and related sectors such as tourism based on their needs through Overseas Fishery Cooperation Foundation of Japan (OFCF) and JICA projects. The PALM Partners welcome the implementation of the East New Britain Initiative which will identify collective and inclusive investment pathways to enhance benefits from tuna fisheries resources. The PALM Partners will also continue cooperation in developing agriculture industry, including utilization of existing facilities and dispatchment of experts. The PALM Partners will continue their enduring cooperative relationship that aims to develop sustainable fisheries, including through mutually beneficial fishing arrangements between Japan and PIF Members, building on their longstanding record of collaboration in the field of fisheries.

Quality Infrastructure and Regulatory Infrastructure: The PALM Partners expressed their intent of continued cooperation in developing quality infrastructure, including digital (e-commerce) and physical (air, maritime) connectivity, promoting trade, investment and tourism, growing local industries and strengthening fiscal resilience. Further, the PALM Partners underscored the importance of developing quality infrastructure ecosystems (standard, metrology and testing) in accordance with international standards to ensure that quality goods and services are provided.

Enhance Labor Mobility: The PALM Partners will pursue labor opportunities in Japan for international labor force through the existing programs consistent with labor mobility aspiration of each Pacific Island Country.

5. Climate Change and Disasters

The PALM Partners will actively work on their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, and will work together in international discussions related to climate finance and disaster risk reduction, taking into account the needs of PIF Member countries that are among the most affected by sea level rise and climate and disaster risks, recognizing their expectation for a prioritized, expedited, and efficient assistance to the Pacific region including through international climate funds such as the Green Climate Fund and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. The PALM Partners will work together to ensure the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage is operationalized as soon as possible to assist developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, noting that the PRF is also a Pacific-Leader approved regional mechanism for loss and damage financing.

The PALM Partners fully support implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 and enhance cooperation under Japan's new initiative "Pacific Climate Resilience Initiative" based on the three pillars of "Strengthening disaster risk reduction and response capabilities", "Promoting clean energy" and "Supporting Pacific led efforts".

[Strengthening disaster risk reduction and response capabilities] Strengthening disaster risk reduction and preparedness through satellite technology: The PALM Partners will continue to utilize meteorological observation data from the Japanese meteorological satellite Himawari through the "HimawariCloud" and "HimawariCast", and "HimawariRequest" which allows National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) to request target area observation data of tropical cyclone and volcano, build regional capacity of meteorological services and strengthen collaboration with Weather Ready Pacific Decadal Programme of Investment (WRP) including supporting its implementation. Also, the PALM Partners continue leveraging Earth Observation satellite data and international initiatives, such as the "Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP) "and "Sentinel Asia," to tackle disaster risk reduction. The PALM Partners will implement a pilot project in Fiji to establish a disaster risk reduction information system utilizing Japan's Quasi-Zenith Satellite System "MICHIBIKI" to strengthen the disaster response capacity and will further explore practical application in the Pacific Islands region in future.

Development of infrastructure for disaster risk reduction and responses: The PALM Partners will reinforce cooperation to further develop resilient infrastructures such as flood control infrastructure, bridges, water reservoirs, and emergency communication facilities, as well as provision of heavy machineries, rescue boats, and other disaster risk reduction and mitigation-related equipment for disaster recovery. The PALM Partners will also strengthen the capacity for disaster risk reduction and disaster response through the improvement of migration risk monitoring and management skills, provision of equipment and materials, and development of multi-purpose shelters in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and utilization of Disaster Risk Finance (DRF) such as the Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI), the Post Disaster Standby Loans Program, and a pilot program for the Climate Resilient Debt Clause (CRDC) in official lending to PIF Members.

Capacity building in disaster risk reduction and responses: The PALM Partners will continue to utilize Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Information Platform (AP PLAT), an online tool for accessing climate finance, developing resilience and adaptation plans for climate change adaptation and cooperate in joint research using knowledge on disaster risk reduction for volcanic hazards. Also, the PALM Partners will continue cooperation in knowledge sharing through the Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific, the Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) and the Japan International Public Private Association for Disaster Risk Reduction (JIPAD).

The PALM Partners will also continue training programs on women's leadership in disaster risk reduction through the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), incorporating perspectives such as Women, Peace and Security (WPS).

Strengthen capacity building for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief: The PALM Partners will continue to utilize the knowledge and experiences of Japan to improve humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) capabilities and prepare for disasters. In the event of disasters caused by natural or human made hazards, the PALM Partners will closely coordinate and cooperate with Japan, based on national request, and respect for national sovereignty, strategies, policies and processes, to determine optimal form of assistance from Japan, including the Japan Disaster Relief Team (Urban Search and Rescue Team, Medical Team, Infectious Diseases Response Team, Expert Team and Self-Defense Force Unit).

[Promoting clean energy]

Promote clean energy: The PALM Partners will strengthen cooperation in clean energy transition to reduce the financial burden of diesel dependence through installation of renewable energiessuch as solar power, hydro power and also consider introducing Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC), a next generation of decarbonization technology. The PALM Partners will also explore to implement demonstration projects for green hydrogen production projects currently underway in Australia and New Zealand.

Capacity building for clean energy transition: The PALM Partners will work together to build capacity in power system stabilization and operation through JICA's technical cooperation and private companies' expertise and products, which is essential for utilizing renewable energy effectively. The PALM Partners will continue cooperation in building capacity for sustainable forest management to maintain forest resources, which contributes to greenhouse gas reduction. The PALM Partners will further explore the possibility of the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) utilization and local government cooperation to introduce advanced decarbonizing technologies.

[Supporting Pacific-led efforts]

Support Pacific-led climate change efforts: The PALM Partners will continue cooperation in building capacity to promote innovative solutions to climate change challenges at the Pacific Climate Change Center (PCCC) in Samoa, and also collaborate to reduce risk and damage from severe disaster through strengthening the Fiji Meteorological Service as the regional hub for tropical cyclone and human resource development.

The PALM Partners will continue cooperation to launch the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) and considerations to capitalise the PRF which is acknowledged as a priority for Pacific Leaders. In addition, PALM partners will consider co-developing pilot projects with Japan's cooperation program such as technical cooperation.

6. Ocean and Environment

Protect marine environment: The PALM Partners will continue cooperation at environment related forums such as the Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific to share policies, technology and know-how relating to effective and safe management of chemicals, waste management and recycling, including plastic pollution, contributing to the achievement of the "Osaka Blue Ocean Vision" which aims to reduce additional pollution by marine plastic litter to zero by 2050, and the PIF 2050 Strategy. The PALM Partners will also continue cooperation in building capacity in deep ocean and seabed environmental monitoring through online programs and improving waste and marine plastics processing treatment capacity. Furthermore, the PALM Partners will cooperate to improve the health and resilience of coral reef ecosystems through sharing the knowledge of planting of heat adapting corals that can withstand high temperatures through the demonstration in Palau.

Sustainable Management of Marine Resources: The PALM Partners will strengthen our commitment to end illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Pacific Islands region through deepening cooperation in monitoring, control, and surveillance on vessels, and in using satellite data from JAXA. The PALM Partners will also strengthen the sustainable management of marine living resources in the region, organizing dialogues and symposiums at the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and utilizing relevant international frameworks such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Agreement on Port State Measures to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. The PALM Partners will continue cooperation from the standpoint of coastal states in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), including ensuring the sustainable use of highly migratory fish species through science-based management and appropriate coordination of fishing opportunities in line with harvest strategies, while considering relevant environmental and economic factors. The PALM Partners will also consider the need to ensure that conservation and management measures do not impose a disproportionate burden on small island developing states in accordance with WCPFC convention. The PALM Partners will continue to cooperate in capacity building for fisheries management in Pacific Island Countries utilizing Japan's funding through WCPFC and FFA.

Promote future-oriented relations: The PALM Partners will continue cooperation to address issues related to their shared past including repatriation of the remains of the Japanese war dead from World War II, clearance of unexploded ordnance, addressing oil leakage from shipwrecked Japanese vessels and maintenance of government-built monuments for the Japanese war dead as appropriate to maintain friendly ties and to build future-oriented relations.

7. Technology and Connectivity

Strengthen quality infrastructure: The PALM Partners will cooperate in the development of quality infrastructure such as ports, airports, roads, electricity, and water supply and sewage systems, in line with the Pacific Quality Infrastructure Principles and international standards, to improve connectivity within and beyond the Pacific Islands region. To further promote quality infrastructure investment, the PALM Partners will collaborate with the Asian Development Bank. The PALM Partners will also strengthen cooperation in improving operation and maintenance capacities and enhancing capacity for effective operation.

Boost Pacific connectivity and cybersecurity capacity: The PALM Partners will support, in line with national processes, mechanisms and policies, 5G/Open RAN, subsea cable and other ICT projects that promote trusted and more resilient networks, and enhance the security, reliability and availability of digital connectivity in Pacific Islands region aligned with the Lagatoi Declaration on Digital Transformation of the Pacific.

At the same time, the PALM Partners will enhance cooperation in building digital and cyber security capacity such as maintenance and management skills for subsea cable operation, cyber incident response, and a wide range of ICT skills with support from specialized agencies, international organizations and funds such as JICA, the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) and World Bank Cybersecurity Multi-Donor Trust Fund.

Support the improvement of aviation safety and security systems, in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organizations' requirements: PALM Partners will continue to work together for capacity building on aviation sector of Pacific Islands Countries through JICA's training courses such as airport construction, operation and maintenance planning, aviation security measures and management of air traffic control system technology. PALM Partners will also continue to collaborate on aviation safety through improvement of airport's infrastructure and equipment in accordance with ICAO's safety standards.

The following initiatives were raised and will be further clarified by the PIF Members. The PALM Partners will discuss these initiatives, taking into account Japan's existing cooperation:

- Pacific Centre of Excellence on Deep Ocean Science

- Continental shelf claims in the Pacific

- Pacific Regional Framework on Climate Mobility

The following initiatives were raised and will be further clarified by Japan. The PALM Partners will discuss these initiatives, taking into account Japan's existing cooperation:

- Capacity building programs including Ship Rider Cooperation Program and accepting cadets from countries with armed forces to study at the National Defense Academy of Japan

- Fostering mutual understanding and confidence building through Japan Pacific Islands Defense Dialogue (JPIDD)

- Enhancing engagement of Japanese private entities with advanced technologies in projects of PIF Member countries in accordance with procurement processes of Multilateral Development Banks.

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