Fiji has revealed the first batch of attendees for the Pacific pre-COP climate talks in October, including leaders from four continents.
Tuvalu and Fiji are hosting the event next month as part of an Australia-negotiated compromise in its failed bid to host COP31, the world's biggest annual climate talks.
While that event will be hosted by Turkey, Australia and the Pacific have been hopeful of bringing representatives from around the world to the lead-up event.
In trilateral talks at the Pacific Islands Forum summit in Palau, Fiji Foreign Minister Sakiasi Ditoka gave a roll call of attendees secured to date.
Mr Dikota said an unspecified number of Pacific leaders would travel, as well as leaders from Antigua and Barbuda, Cabo Verde, Thailand, Maldives and Timor-Leste.
Additonally, "ministerial-level representation from several countries" including Germany - which hosts the body's secretariat - Mexico and South Korea will attend.
The list is not final, with Mr Dikota saying he "looked forward to more confirmations" in the next month.
It follows weeks of speculation about the success of the four-day October event, which could cost the Australian government more than $19.2 million in event management and broadcast fees.
While the promised turnout is modest, given 198 nations are eligible, Tuvalu prime minister Feleti Teo said his nation was "very grateful" for the chance to host.
"We've been advocating and trying to describe through our limited English vocabulary what the situation on the ground is like," he said.
"This is the opportunity for leaders who can make it to see for themselves the extent of our vulnerability to climate change."
In 2023, Australia and Tuvalu agreed a world-first climate compact that affords Tuvaluans the right to emigrate to Australia given the growing existential threat.
Tuvalu is the world's lowest-lying nation, a collection of reef islands and atolls north of Fiji which is home to around 10,000 people and just two hotels.
"We've presented two options for the event in Tuvalu: one is for those that are game enough to come and spend the night over there, and the rest will come on a day trip," Mr Teo said.
"Either way, the whole nation is ready and prepared."
Fiji has also asked not to be judged on attendance at the summit in the remote region, but instead on whether it "advances substantive progress towards successful outcomes at COP31".
The Australian opposition has lashed the event as an "overseas talkfest" that could cost up to $150 million.
On a bustling day of diplomacy at the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting, climate change was central to many sessions.
Alongside Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Palau President Surangel Whipps launched a prospectus of projects to drive the region towards 100 per cent renewable energy.
The initiative is likely to be one of the centrepieces of Mr Whipps' leadership of PIF over the next year.
"It details priority projects and country pipelines to capture progress and the necessary next steps ... the ultimate success of the prospectus effort will be measured in dollars, deals and decarbonisation," Mr Whipps said.
The effort to step up renewables, already underway, has been given a nudge by soaring fuel prices this year owing to the US-Iran war.
This is also the first PIF summit since the Pacific Resilience Facility, the region's first climate financing organisation was established.
Australian Associated Press
