【Date of founding】On February 6, 1947, the governments of six countries--the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands-- then having possessions and trust territories in the South Pacific signed the Canberra Agreement, announcing the establishment of the South Pacific Commission (called SPC in short).In 1998, it changed its name into the Pacific Community.

In 1950, in order to give chances to their possessions and trust territories to air their views, the Commission decided to convene a South Pacific conference every three years. Beginning from 1967, it was changed into calling a conference every year.In 1973, in accordance with a proposal ofAustralia, the South Pacific Commission and the South Pacific Conference decided to hold a joint conference every year starting from 1974, generally known as "the South Pacific Conference".The conference would make policy decisions on important matters such as financial budget, orientation of using funds, priority projects, admission of partners of cooperation and election and appointment of principal officials of the Commission.Only the representatives of the 13 members of the governments of theUnited States, theUnited Kingdom,France,Australia,New Zealand,West Samoa(later the name was changed into "Samoa"),Fiji,Papua New Guinea,Cook Islands,Solomon Islands,Nauru,TuvaluandNiuehave the right to vote.At the 23rdsession of the South Pacific Conference held in 1983, on the basis of a proposal ofAustralia, it was decided that all the existing 27 members have the right to vote.

【Purposes】It is a non-political organization aimed at promoting the economic development, social welfare and progress of the countries (or areas) in the South Pacific.Cooperating with other international organizations, it provides economic and technical assistance to the island countries in the South Pacific.

【Members】27 members (in 2002): The United States, the United Kingdom (withdrawing in 1995 and joining again in January 1998), France, Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Micronesia, Palau, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, American Samoa, Guam, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna, Niue, Tokelau, Pitcairn Islands, and the Northern Mariana Free State.

TheNetherlandswas the founding member of the South Pacific Commission.It withdrew from it in 1962 when it transferredWest IriantoIndonesia.

【Principal leading personnel】The present Director General is Madam Lourdes Pangelinan (from Guam). She took office in December 1999.Under the Director General, there are two Deputy Director Generals.Jimmie Rogers (from Solomon Islands), permanent Deputy Director General, is in charge of projects and finance, and takes care of the work of the Land Resources Department of the Pacific Community based in Fiji.Yves Corbel (French), Deputy Director General, is in charge of administrative affairs and part of the projects of economic and social development.

【Headquarters】In Nouméa, Capital of New Caledonia.

【Website】www.spc.org.nc

【Publications】"Monthly News of Activities" and "Report of the South Pacific Conference".Both are yearly bilingual publications in English and French.

【Organizational set-up】There are three principal departments under it, respectively in charge of land resources, marine resources and social affairs.A regional office located inSuva,Fijiand offices in most of the island countries are in charge of the concrete implementation of the fixed projects.Moreover, there is an administrative team to assist the Director General and two Deputy Director Generals in their work.

Since its establishment in 1998, the Pacific Community has made a change by convening a conference every two years, for formulating relevant policies and deciding on the candidate for Director General.When it is not in session, the Committee of Representatives of Government and Administrations has the right to make policy decisions on important matters.

The funds come from three sources: (1) Membership Fee.The total sum is US$7 million, of which, 90% is paid by 5 big countries, namely Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and New Zealand; the remaining 10% is borne by 22 island countries or areas.(2) Project assistance provided by the 5 big countries includingAustralia.(3) The assistance provided by the Europe Union, the UNDP, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, and various countries through multi-lateral organizations or directly to the South Pacific Commission.Since the 1990s, the project assistance provided byAustraliaand other principal donor countries has presented a trend of a progressive decrease.

【Main activities】It provides training, consultancy and assistance in the fields of medical service and health, economic development and social progress, focusing on the implementation of the projects of economic assistance by various countries and international organizations in the South Pacific region.In the 16thConference held 1976, the Commission extended its scope of activities to rural development, the affairs of youth and organizations, special consultation by experts, recreation, educational exchanges and development and research of marine resources.The 35thAnnual Conference held in Nouméa in October 1995 elected Robert Dun as the Director General.In October 1996, in the 36thAnnual Conference held in Saiban of theNorthern Mariana Islands, Dun was re-elected as the Director General.In September 1997, the 37thAnnual Conference held inCanberra,Australia, decided to hold "the South Pacific Conference" once every two years, and also decided the South Pacific Commission would change its name into the Pacific Community starting fromJanuary 1, 1998.

In December 1999, the First Conference of the Pacific Community was held in Tahiti (a French possession), adopting the Tahiti Declaration that provided for the organizational set-up and service regulations of the organization and appointed Madam Lourdes Pangelinan as its Director General.In November 2001, the Second Conference of the Pacific Community was held in Nouméa, the capital ofNew Caledonia.The Conference formulated five major strategic plans, namely developing human resources, realizing the objective of international development in the Pacific region, making policy analysis and proposals in the economic and social spheres, strengthening communication and coordination with relevant international organizations and improving the plans of the organization itself and its ability to implement the plans.Of that, developing human resources was determined as the key task.

【Relations with China】The organization does not have much contact with China.In 1998,Chinadonated US$5,000 to the project of "Forest Protection in the South Pacific" of the organization.

Since 1996,Taiwanhas attended the conference of the organization as "observer" and provided project assistance of US$394,000 and US$217,000 to the organization respectively in 2000 and 2001.