The meeting, involving at least 10 ministers from across the Pacific, will be hosted by OFC as part of the inaugural Pacific Youth and Sports Conference which has seen 800 young people from 17 countries take part this week.
OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas says he is delighted the Fijian Minister can attend, considering the travel restrictions that have been in place since the 2006 military coup.
“Sport can be used as a tool to bring unity and we are seeing that in practice with this youth and sports conference and sports ministers meeting. We would like to thank the New Zealand Government for their role in allowing the Hon. Filipe Bole to attend,” said Nicholas.
“OFC’s vision, inspired by President Reynald Temarii, is to integrate sport for positive social development throughout the Pacific. We will advocate this during the meeting and put forward six defined proposals which will assist all sports and stakeholders to implement ‘Sport for Development’ projects.”
Ministers involved in the meeting will include: HON. Tereapii PIHO – Cook Islands Minister of Internal Affairs and Youth & Sport; HON. Filipe BOLE – Fiji Minister of Youth & Sport; HON. Kouraiti BENIATO – Kiribati Minister of Internal & Social Affairs; HON. Jean Claude BRIAULT – New Caledonia Minister of Youth & Sport; HON. Togia SIONEHOLO – Niue Minister of Education; HON. Keneti SOLAMALEMALO – Samoa Associate Minister of Education Sport & Culture; HON. Manaseh MAELANGA – Solomon Islands Minister of Environment and Conservation (Stand in for Minister of Sports); Lord Honourable TUIVAKANO – Tonga Minister of Sport; HON. Raphael WORWOR – Vanuatu Minister of Youth & Sport; HON. Faalesa PITOI – Tuvalu Minister of Education Sport & Health.
The majority of ministers arrive today, including the Hon. Filipe Bole who lands at Auckland Airport at around midnight.
The closed meeting will be held on Saturday, 20 March, from 8:30am-1:30pm at the TelstraClear Pacific Centre in Manukau.