In Apia/Samoa, the workshops were aimed at the governing FAST Party of Samoa, and were attended by most of the caucus members, including Her Excellency the Prime Minister of Samoa, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa. Topics included the role of political parties in times of democratic crises, including the threat posed by rising populism, the building of strong and successful parties, and the running of political projects. The expert emphasized that there is no “one size fits all” model of democracy that works in every country, and that every country must find the model that suits best its unique circumstances. In the Independent State of Samoa, that includes the traditional role of chiefs (matai) in both the civil sector and the political sphere. The workshops were complemented by a meeting with the German Honorary Consul-designate, who provided the delegation with an in depth briefing of the country’s current challenges, including education in rural areas (where schools lack infrastructure and equipment) and access to clean water and sanitation (in particular in remote areas). The Honorary Consul-designate also mentioned that the (previous) Government of Samoa had agreed to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia in October this year, with hundreds of delegates from all around the world expected to visit the small island country.

In Suva/Fiji, the workshops were aimed at young party representatives from the governing parties of the republic and attracted participants from all over the country. Day 1 saw the participants engaging in a lively discussion with the expert on a “roadmap to success” for their respective parties, requiring inter alia leadership, a manifesto/programme, efficient communication, organisation including funding, and anchoring in society (ie membership and participation by all parts of society). Day 2 focussed on the assessment of party needs and how to run political projects using tools such as the GANTT chart and SWOT. The German Ambassador, His Excellency Dr Andreas Prothmann, took the opportunity to advocate for even closer bilateral and people to people relations between Germany and Fiji, noting the recent high-level visit by the Prime Minister of Fiji to Brussels, where he attended the 3rd EU-Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum. KAS Australia also had the pleasure to meet the new EU Ambassador for the Pacific, Her Excellency, Barbara Plinkert.

KAS Australia looks forward to continuing its work in regards to the development of political parties in the Pacific region.