Prime Minister (PM) James Marape, on behalf of his fellow pacific island leaders, has asked the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, to be the advocate for smaller pacific states on the global arena on the issues affecting the pacific. In his opening remarks at the Forum for India- Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIIC) Summit today, Marape said the pacific will continue to be place for trade and commerce and a place for movement of people, if the matters of climate change and geopolitical issues impacting the pacific nations are addressed at the top by leading global economies. Marape said India being the emerging leader in the global south, can take the pacific concerns to the G20 and G7 meetings. In the global south, we have development challenges, our resources have been harvested and our people have been left behind, PM Marape said. You have emerged as the leader of the global south and I want to thank you. As discussions in our own bilateral meeting this morning, you will advocate as you host the G20 this year, on issues relate to the global south. We want India to be a strong voice and advocate of challenges we go through, said the PM. Marape said the two pressing issues causing insecurity in the pacific are climate change where sea level rise continues to threaten the livelihoods of pacific people, and the threats of global politics like the war in Ukraine impacting the pacific, which Marape said has caused the high cost of fuel and power tariffs, especially in the smaller island states.