State of the Pacific 2018

The Department of Pacific Affairs’ biennial State of the Pacific (SOTP) conference will take place from 10-12 September 2018 at The Australian National University in Canberra.

A Pacific Research Program flagship event, SOTP2018 will again bring together leading academics, policymakers, business leaders, civil society representatives and the media to present on, discuss and debate current issues of interest concerning the Pacific Islands region.

The conference will take place immediately following this year’s Pacific Islands Forum meeting and will therefore be the first opportunity to reflect collectively on the outcomes of this year’s Leaders’ Meeting.

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General, Dame Meg Taylor will deliver a keynote address. Her address will be followed by a panel discussion with senior representatives of the Pacific diplomatic community in Canberra.

The conference will involve the presentation of new research and analysis from departmental scholars and a number of other eminent figures and scholars from the Pacific. It will generate discussion on the factors shaping the forward-looking research agenda in the Pacific Islands region.