Anthony Albanese has hailed the first Commonwealth leaders summit held in Australia's backyard a success as the issue of reparations emerges with the ascension of a new secretary-general.
The prime minister was among the leaders of 56 Commonwealth nations in Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), overseen by King Charles.
"This has been a very successful Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting hosted by Samoa, and it is the first time that CHOGM has met here in the Pacific," Mr Albanese said.
📺 Happening now: — The Commonwealth (@commonwealthsec) #CHOGM2024 Closing Press ConferenceHear directly from #Commonwealth leaders including Samoa Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa and outgoing Commonwealth Secretary-General, @PScotlandCSG, on the outcomes from the meeting.Watch live 👉:… pic.twitter.com/kPAb1yQWVsOctober 26, 2024
Commonwealth members selected Ghana's Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey as the summit's incoming secretary-general.
Ms Botchwey is a supporter of reparations for transatlantic slavery and colonialism, one of the key themes of the meeting of nations with roots in the British Empire.
King Charles acknowledged the Commonwealth's "painful" history before he and Queen Camilla flew out of Samoa on Saturday.
"It is vital, therefore, that we understand our history, to guide us towards making the right choices in future," he said.
Pacific leaders also used the occasion to remind their larger counterparts of the existential threat they face from rising sea levels, with Tuvalu releasing a report pointing the finger at Australia, Canada and the UK for emitting a disproportionate amount of greenhouse gases.
Mr Albanese said Australia was committed to transitioning to net zero but could not just "flick a switch and act immediately".
The prime minister signalled a plan to protect 30 per cent of the world's oceans by 2030 would be "one of the major initiatives" coming from the forum.
"We need to make sure that we provide protection on land, but also on water to mitigate its impact," he said.
The meeting launched Australia's $400 million Pacific Policing Initiative, marking a win for the nation and its allies over China in the race for Pacific influence.
More than 40 police officers from 11 Pacific countries were deployed to provide security for the meeting as part of the scheme.
"In the Pacific, the security of any one of us matters to all of us," Mr Albanese said.
The program concluded at the beachside resort town of Mulifanua on the northwest tip of the island of Upolu.