By Kaya Selby of RNZ Pacific
Cash set aside to host the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in New Zealand next year may fall short of what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) expected it to cost.
RNZ Pacific has received a document from MFAT under the Official Information Act (OIA) that puts potential operating costs at $30 million over two years, as of March.
Budget 2026 set aside $20 million over that time to host PIF.
This is noted as a specific fiscal risk in MFAT’s submission, but was not disclosed in Treasury’s Budget Economic and Fiscal Update.
An MFAT spokesperson said that due to “subsequent work to clarify expectations and scope, and to tighten cost estimates”, they now expected the budget to cover it.
When asked specifically how $10m had been “tightened” out, they did not provide a response.
In the submission, MFAT noted that they have been instructed by the Prime Minister to host the forum “in a manner that burnishes our Pacific credentials [and] strengthens our region.”
‘Significant responsibility’
It also called it a “significant responsibility” that comes with “elevated expectations from the Forum membership.”
Next year will be the first time that New Zealand has hosted PIF in 16 years.
The 2026 summit will be hosted by Palau from August 30 to September 4.
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