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Who we are
Key dates
Some key dates in regional
SPC history since World War II
1945: End of World War II
1947: South Pacific Commission established in Australia with the signing of
the Canberra Agreement between Australia, France, Netherlands, New
Zealand, UK and USA
1949: SPC Headquarters transferred from temporary headquarters in Sydney to
Noumea
1950: First South Pacific Conference held
in Noumea
1951: Area served by SPC expanded to include Guam and the Trust
Territory of the Pacific Islands (Micronesia)
1960: Adoption
of UN Declaration on Colonised Peoples and Territories
1962:
Western Samoa reclaims its independence (first Pacific Island
country to achieve independence in the modern era)
1962: Netherlands withdraws from Irian Jaya and the SPC
1963: First South Pacific Games held in Suva (SPC
played a leading role in that process)
1965:
Western Samoa joins SPC as
a full member (first Island member). Creation of the Pacific Island Producers’ Association
1970: Founding of the University of The South Pacific
1970: Creation
of CCOP-SOPAC, forerunner of SOPAC
1971: Creation of the South Pacific Forum
1972: First Festival of Pacific Arts in Fiji (SPC
played a leading role in that process and still acts as the
Secretariat of the Council of Pacific Arts)
1973: South
Pacific Conference and South Pacific Commission merged into one
1976:
First UN Conference on the Law of the Sea
1977: Creation of the Pacific Forum Line (PFL)
1979: Creation of the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA)
1980:
Beginning of participation by all governments and administrations
in SPC
1980: Establishment
of the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (first
under the umbrella of SPC in Noumea, before becoming an
independent organisation based in Apia)
1980: East-West Centre established in Hawaii
1983: At annual conference held in Saipan, all countries and
territories in the area served by SPC become full and equal members;
SPC Conference becomes the supreme decision-making body
1986:
Adoption of the Convention on the Protection of Natural Resources
in the South Pacific
1988: Creation of the South Pacific Organisations Coordinating Committee
(SPOCC)
1989: CCOP- SOPAC becomes SOPAC
Early 1990s: corporate planning processes introduced in SPC
1990s:
regional cooperation structure rationalised with reduction in
duplication and Forum Secretariat taking a lead role on regional
policy issues; SPC sees its role confirmed as a non-political
technical assistance, advisory and training body
1995:
SPC moves into its specially designed new Headquarters buildings
at the Anse Vata location given to it by France, New Caledonia and
the Noumea city fathers, with a special contribution from Australia
1996: Saipan Conference adopts recommendations from the organisational
review, paving the way for rationalisation and streamlining in SPC’s
programme structure and operating methods; the conference becomes
a two-yearly event
1997: 50th anniversary conference takes place in Canberra; participants
decide to change the name to the ‘Pacific
Community’
1998: SPC
clarifies the changes of name to Secretariat of the Pacific
Community for the organisation and the Pacific Community for the
members; the South Pacific Conference becomes the Conference of
the Pacific Community
1999:
First Conference of the Pacific Community in Tahiti Nui; adoption
of the ‘Déclaration de Tahiti Nui’ to clarify SPC’s
structure and operations; Lourdes Pangelinan first woman appointed
Director-General
2000:
8th Festival of Pacific Arts held in New Caledonia with SPC
support and the HQ a venue of choice for public and perfomers
alike
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