be made a permanent feature of the Forum, and two deputy secretary-general positions would be created for the other sub-regions. Kiribati did not agree to the arrangement, and on 9 July 2022 withdrew from the Forum with immediate effect. Membership In September 2011, the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands were granted observer status in the Pacific Islands Forum, while in September 2016 the French territories of French Polynesia and New Caledonia were granted full membership. Easter Island (administered by Chile) and Hawaii (an oceanic state of the U.S.) have both considered gaining representation. Kiribati withdrew from the Forum in 2022. The government of Kiribati changed its mind the next year in 2023 and decided to rejoin the form, making its plans clear by a meeting of President of Kiribati Taneti Mamau with Prime Minister of Fiji Sitiveni Rabuka where Mamau told Rabuka about Kiribati's plan. Rabuka confirmed to the media that such a meeting did take place and stated that that Kiribati has reconciled with the Pacific Islands Forum and will rejoin the Fourm soon. Statistics 1 Associate member Secretaries General The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat is appointed to a three-year term by the leaders of the member states. The Secretary General reports directly to the national leaders and the Forum Officials' Committee (FOC). The Secretary General also automatically serves as the permanent chairman of the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP). Institutions and legal framework The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat was established initially as a trade bureau in 1972 and later became the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation (SPEC). The name South Pacific Forum Secretariat was approved by member governments in 1988 and changed to Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat in 2000. There are four divisions in the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, and each of these divisions has direct responsibility for a range of programs designed to improve the capacity of the Forum member countries and to co-ordinate action on matters of common interest: Development and Economic Policy Trade and Investment Political, International and Legal Affairs Corporate Services The Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (FEMM) established in 1995, plays a key role in assessing regional economic developments. Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement The Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA) aims to establish a free-trade area between 14 of the Pacific Islands Forum countries. As of 2013, it had