MSG Secretariat’s 5 Point Sustainability Plan on Melanesian Bubble

The MSG Secretariat has commenced discussions on a Melanesian Bubble initiative.

Acting Director General of the MSG Secretariat, George Hoa’au said that in light of the challenges posed by the COVID 19 Pandemic, the MSG is taking the initiative and appropriate actions to respond to the current impeding challenges on behalf of its Members.

After weeks of internal consultations, the MSG Secretariat last week commenced consultations with Members to further develop roadmaps on several key strategic areas. Acting Director General, said that the Secretariat is currently putting forward a “Five Point Sustainability Plan”.

He said, the Five Point Sustainability Plan focuses on five specific areas in which as an MSG Group, can secure the MSG Members in current times to be adaptable and resilient to the current challenges caused by COVID 19.

These targeted areas of the 5 Point Sustainability Plan are 1. Health Networking and Visibility, 2. Education, Social and Family Connectivity – MSG Bubble, 3. Economic Recovery, 4. Sports and Recreation; and 5. Traditional Agriculture & Food Security.

Point 1: In the areas of the Region’s Health Networking & Visibility, is a commitment to support national efforts on common health checks and verification processes through facilitation and harmonisation of medical checks, verification processes, data collection and information sharing between Members.

Point 2: In the areas of Education, Social & Family Connectivity, this relates to Border Control for MSG Countries and calls for regional commitment to agree on timeline and agreed personnel safety measures to ensure that MSG Members Airlines continue to travel between MSG States in order to facilitate an agreement on ease of travels for MSG Nationals movements between MSG borders.

Point 3: In the areas of Economic Recovery, the plan calls for a commitment to supporting national priorities on the development of economic measures for macroeconomic stability, including supporting and strengthening domestic economic activities in the tourism sector through effective marketing and promotions of MSG country brands for instance, Vanuatu-Made, Fiji-Made, PNG-Made, Solomon Islands-Made etc. This plan also includes a commitment to supporting the rebuilding of confidence through facilitation and improving transparency in regulations for international travels and trade.

Point 4: In the areas of Sports and Recreation, this advocates for regional commitment to supporting sporting activities within MSG sanctioned sporting activities and how to relate to other regional and international organised sporting activities.

Point 5: refers to the areas of Traditional Agriculture & Food Security and calls for a commitment to encourage social coherence in community on traditional farming methods and traditional barter system and to sustain our food security and provide assistance on our national economic development.

This further calls for a commitment to encouraging home and urban gardening through traditional arts and culture and cash crops to encourage nutrition and food security through collaboration and partnerships with government and regional agencies.

Acting Director George Hoa’au said that the proposed plan will call for deeper understanding and commitment to consider practical measures that will allow the 5 areas to materialise into a Melanesian Bubble and the sum of which, reinforces Melanesian Solidarity as a platform for redirecting our attention to MSG regional re-integration as a way forward in the immediate future.

He is adamant that the ongoing consultations with Members on the 5 Point Sustainability Plan once materialised through the MSG Governing Body Process will definitely pave a way for our own “Melanesian Bubble”.