On 30 June 2008, representatives from ten Forum Island Countries (FICs) convened in Honiara, Solomon Islands for the first regional meeting on freedom of information legislation for Pacific government officials. The meeting was organised by the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) with support from the UNDP Pacific Centre. The meeting supports work under the Pacific Plan, the instrument which provides guidance to the work of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat as well as of relevant development partners.

Under Initiative 12.3 on enhancing governance mechanisms, Freedom of Information (FOI) is identified as a milestone in support of the Plan’s Good Governance Pillar.

FOI is still a relatively new concept in the Pacific. In 2005, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative held a meeting on FOI for Pacific members of parliament. In 2006, the UNDP Pacific Centre held a FOI workshop for Pacific Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). Most notably, in February 2008, the Cook Islands Government became the first FIC to pass a FOI law. This achievement by Cook Islands is a very positive and encouraging sign for the region. PIFS and the UNDP Pacific Centre were keen to build on this breakthrough, by organising a regional workshop to bring together policy makers and senior officials from the Pacific to discuss the value of freedom of information as an important tool for strengthening and enhancing good governance in national governance and the Pacific region.