Forum leaders sign landmark declaration to work together for a safer and prosperous Pacific

BY SAMIE WAIKORI
History has been made, as Pacific leaders came together and adopted the “Ocean of Peace Declaration” at the 54th Pacific Island Forum leaders meeting underway in Honiara.
A grand ceremony for the adoption of the declaration was held yesterday at the Friendship Hall, where the chair of PIF, Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele and champion of the Ocean for Peace concept, Fiji Prime Minister Sitivene Rabuka shared greater need for a peaceful Pacific region.
Manele said the “Ocean of Peace Declaration” is rooted in our collective histories and cultures, guided by our collective vision for a resilient Pacific region of peace, harmony and prosperity.
“The Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration is shaped by lived experience, forged through hardship and sustained by hope.
“The Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration is a call for the Pacific to control its destiny, to place development at the centre of our agenda for peace and free our people from fear and to live in dignity.
“Under its auspices, for the peace framework, we must mobilise resources to cooperate across borders and to share knowledge and expertise,” he said.
He stated the declaration provides a foundation for partnerships, both within the region and with the wider world, to address UXO, to restore the health of Pacific seas and construct safe islands.
Declared that the PIF’s commitment to the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration is for the entire Pacific family.
Manele said to tackle climate change, which remains the single greatest threat facing the Pacific; natural disasters, social and economic issues and others demand the multi dimensional of the oceans.
“The declaration strengthens our ability to act together, alliance with others, respect each other’s sovereignty and strengthen good neighbouring relations and switch on the path for unity,” he said.
Furthermore, Manele emphasised that PIF’s stand for peace is a contribution to global stability. The declaration of the Pacific is near to a free region, to the best international system that is aligned with and for peace.
He said contribution to peace involves everyone in society, from civil society to faith-based institutions and from indigenous people to the private sector.
“This is a peaceful message to the global community that we are a responsible region and a model for cooperation.
“The Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration is a champion of small and adjacent states, special situations and defend the rights and dignity of our Pacific peoples.
“It binds us together as one Blue Pacific, strengthened by our diversity and inspired by our common heritage.
“The Ocean of Peace is a beacon of openness. We live in together spirit, let us engage with all, trade with all and walk with all.
“May the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration be our compass as we navigate the challenges of the present and the promise of the future,” Manele said.

BY LORETTA B MANELE

The spouses of 54th PIF Leaders paid a visit to St Joseph’s National Secondary School in Tenaru yesterday morning.
This visit marks the last day of their three-day programme which kicked off on Monday, September 8.

Upon arrival at the school entrance, as students awaited nearby and in the school hall, the spouses while still in their bus were treated to a traditional warrior dance from students.
This was followed by welcome remarks from School Principal, Jeoffery Poena who expressed that they are happy to receive them at the school.

He then took the spouses for a tour around the school where they went to the school hall, walked past classrooms before visiting a chapel, library, a historical monument and finally the school office.
Later on, after traditional dances, Madame Jocelyn Manele, wife of Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele shared a few remarks highlighting that students must continue to work hard in their academic journey.

On behalf of the spouses, she presented a token of appreciation to the school which was received by their school principal.

BY CHRIS ALEX
Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Honiara yesterday signed a historic treaty establishing the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), aimed at strengthening the region’s climate resilience and sustainable development.
PIF Secretary General, Baron Divavesi Waqa, opened the ceremony by reflecting on the significance of the day.
“Today is a special day in our Pacific history,” he declared, highlighting the fact that the last treaty signed at a Forum Leaders meeting occurred 40 years ago.
The PRF treaty, co-drafted with input from all member states, signifies a unified commitment to addressing the climate crisis that is disproportionately affecting the Pacific Islands.
“This treaty will provide the framework for ensuring the resilience of our people, our ecosystems, and our economies,” Waqa emphasised.
He also commended the tireless efforts of officials who had worked behind the scenes to make the treaty a reality.
In preparation for the signing, the PRF team conducted six treaty missions across Forum member nations, engaging in extensive consultations to ensure broad-based support.
Prime Minister of Tonga Dr Aisake Valu Eke was praised for his leadership and dedication to the successful establishment of the PRF.
The Prime Minister’s commitment to ensuring that the facility would become a key instrument in safeguarding the Pacific’s future was acknowledged with gratitude by Waqa and other leaders present at the event.
The PRF is designed to be a flexible financial facility that supports climate adaptation projects in the Pacific Islands, providing critical funding to communities and nations that are on the frontline of climate impacts.
The signing of the agreement is seen as a critical step toward achieving the collective vision of Pacific leaders for a resilient, sustainable future.

Following the signing, the PRF team will embark on a series of diplomatic engagements, including a PRF Partner Roundtable Talanoa at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Tuesday, September 23.
This event will serve as an important platform to rally international partners to support and contribute to the capitalisation of the PRF.
“The wind behind our sails is the solidarity and unity of the Pacific family,” said Waqa, referencing the journey toward securing the necessary resources to fund the facility.
He highlighted the importance of a Pacific-centered approach to addressing climate change, noting that Pacific nations must lead by example in securing climate finance that is equitable, just, and rooted in the needs of vulnerable communities.

As the Forum leaders look ahead to future climate negotiations, including the crucial COP31, the establishment of the PRF provides a concrete tool to translate the region’s climate aspirations into tangible actions.
The signing ceremony was a clear signal to the world that the Pacific is not only ready to confront the challenges of climate change but is also committed to pioneering solutions that reflect the values of equity and justice.

Secretary General Waqa made a powerful call for international partners to join the Pacific Islands Forum in its pursuit of a sustainable, climate-resilient future.
“Climate action is urgent. Climate finance is not just about money; it is about equity, justice, and fairness,” he stated.
This historic treaty sets the stage for an era of greater collaboration, resource mobilization, and shared responsibility in tackling one of the greatest existential threats facing humanity today climate change.

BY NED GAGAHE
The Solomon Islands is gearing up to unveil the Melanesian Ocean Reserve (MOR) initiative at Climate Week in New York, a bold and transformative project that promises to set a new standard for ocean conservation.
This unprecedented Indigenous-led initiative aims to protect the vast oceanic heritage of the southwestern Pacific.
Later this month, the government will present the MOR, which spans over 6 million square kilometers of ocean, covering the national waters of the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea, while linking to the protected waters of New Caledonia.
Speaking at a sideline event yesterday on the Melanesian Ocean Reserve Declaration, Polycarp Paea, Minister for Environment and Climate Change of the Solomon Islands, expressed pride in the progress made.
“This initiative, the first of its kind globally, seeks to safeguard marine ecosystems while ensuring the cultural and economic vitality of our people,” Paea remarked.
“Our vision is ambitious, yet it is grounded in the lived experiences of our communities, who have long been the true stewards of the ocean.”
The Melanesian Ocean Reserve was first declared in June 2025 by the governments of the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Minister Paea emphasized that the next phase of the initiative will focus on turning the Declaration into concrete action, with success depending on several key areas: the integration of traditional knowledge with scientific research, building Indigenous-led blue economies, and fostering regional solidarity.
At the heart of the Reserve’s vision is the Four Paddles Framework, which outlines four main pillars of action:
• Enhanced Ocean Surveillance and Monitoring: Strengthening community-led ocean guardianship through better monitoring systems.
• Indigenous-Led Blue Economies: Creating sustainable economic opportunities for Indigenous communities tied to ocean conservation.
• Cultural Reconnection Through Transport: Developing transport systems that respect both cultural connections and environmental responsibility.
• Weaving Traditional Wisdom with Scientific Knowledge: Merging ancestral knowledge with modern science to protect marine ecosystems.

“For our people, the ocean is not just a source of life – it is a spiritual and cultural lifeline,” Paea said.
“This initiative ensures that our rightful place within the ocean is not just recognized, but upheld. We are its stewards, not outsiders.”
In collaboration with the Islands Knowledge Institute and Nia Tero, alongside the governments of Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands is laying the foundation for a model of Indigenous-led conservation that is capturing global attention.

BY MORRIS NAFU
THE Solomon Islands and New Zealand officially launched a 10-year education partnership agreement, pledging New Zealand’s investment of $300 million to uplift education across the country from 2025 to 2035.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced the agreement during a ceremony held at Honiara High School, on a side event of the Pacific Islands Forum Leadership Meeting yesterday.
Minister of Education and Human Resources Development Tozen Leokana also attended the event, highlighting the strong ties between the two nations.
Reflecting on over two decades of collaboration, PM Luxon said, “This partnership builds on more than 20 years of working together in education.
“New Zealand has supported Solomon Islands since 1967, including a significant investment following the 2004 tensions.
“Today, we are proud to commit $300 million over the next decade to improve education delivery across all nine provinces and numerous islands.”
He emphasised the importance of education as a foundation for a brighter future, sharing his personal story of how a quality state education helped him succeed.
“Nothing is more important than setting our children up for a better future.
Education is a powerful equaliser, giving every child—regardless of background—the chance to pursue their dreams.”
The partnership focuses on four key areas: decentralising education responsibilities to provincial levels, enhancing teacher management systems, strengthening data collection, and improving sector coordination.
These efforts aim to ensure consistent and quality education throughout the Solomon Islands.
PM Luxon expressed pride in the enduring friendship between the two countries and their shared commitment to empowering young people.

“The Solomon Islands is a nation of incredible potential. Together, we want every young person here to have the opportunity to live their own version of the Solomon Islands Dream, just as we do in New Zealand.” PM said.
Minister Leokana welcomed the partnership, highlighting its significance for the nation’s future. Both leaders look forward to working closely to achieve lasting educational outcomes that will benefit generations to come.
“This is a landmark occasion that not only celebrates an ongoing collaboration, but also provides an opportunity to reflect on the enduring and varied partnership between the Australian-Irish Government and the people in successive countries of the United States.
Our relationship with New Zealand goes back to the years before independence. Since that time, successive New Zealand governments have made extraordinary investments in the development of education in our country.
These efforts reflect not only New Zealand’s commitment, but also the spirit of mutual cooperation and sustainable development.
Through this collaboration, New Zealand supported teachers’ education, curriculum development, professional development for teachers and school leaders, and the educational infrastructure that has enabled our government to expand both access to and the quality of education across Northern Ireland.
Together, we continue to strengthen the foundation of learning that will shape the future of our nation,” he said.

BY NED GAGAHE
Polycarp Paea, minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management, and Meteorology, and MP for Malaita Outer Islands, has made a strong call to protect the oceans.
He delivered an important update on the Melanesian Ocean Reserve (MOR) at the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders (PIFL) meeting.
His message was clear: the oceans that sustain us must be protected.
For Paea, this initiative is deeply personal. “We are Ocean people,” he said, drawing on his roots in the Ontong Java atoll in the Solomon Islands.
“I come from a place where the ocean is our livelihood. Our lagoon is 100 times the size of our land. Our food, our income, our culture, everything comes from the ocean.”
For Paea and many in the region, the Melanesian Ocean Reserve is not just a project, but a lifeline for future generations.
The Melanesian Ocean Reserve, a landmark commitment announced in June 2025 at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, is set to become the first Indigenous-led multinational ocean reserve.
Spanning a staggering 6 million square kilometres, it covers waters of the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, and extends to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of New Caledonia, an area roughly the size of the Amazon Rainforest.
“This is our sacred heritage,” Paea declared.
“Our oceans are not just lines on a map; they are the foundation of who we are, our culture, our livelihoods, and our very identity as island people.”
The reserve is being hailed as a testament to the enduring relationship between the Melanesian people and the sea, a relationship built on care, respect, and sustainable stewardship.
The Solomon Islands Cabinet formally endorsed the draft Melanesian Ocean Reserve Declaration in May 2025, committing to a collective vision of ocean conservation that goes beyond just protecting marine resources, it is about safeguarding a way of life.
“Our connection to the ocean is one of coexistence and care, not dominion,” Paea said.
“Today, we are not just representatives of our governments, we are the custodians of a sacred legacy, one that binds us to the ocean and to each other.”

BY NED GAGAHE
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, has delivered a strong and unifying message at the opening of the 54th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Plenary Meeting, declaring that the Pacific region “must never be seen as an arena for others”.
Speaking to fellow Pacific leaders in a fast-shifting geopolitical landscape, PM Manele emphasised that the region’s strength lies in its solidarity, shared values, and collective action.
“The world around us is changing fast. Competition among powerful interests is intensifying. And the Pacific must never be seen as an arena for others,” he said.
“We are not passive bystanders. We are nations. Bound by shared values and the Pacific way.”
PM Manele’s remarks come amid growing interest in the Pacific by major powers, including the United States, China, and others, who have intensified their diplomatic, economic, and strategic outreach in recent years.
The 2025 Forum is held under the theme ‘Iumi Tugeda: Act Now for an Integrated Blue Pacific Continent’ which Manele described as “a resounding call for a renewed commitment to defend regionalism.”
He said leaders must use the opportunity to strengthen the Pacific Islands Forum as the region’s premier political and policy institution.
“Our discussions today have been informed by a multitude of sectoral conversations throughout the year. And I look forward to engaging on these issues to support the progress of our collective priorities,” he said.
Reflecting on the structure of the meeting, PM Manele acknowledged the growing role of sectoral ministries in shaping the leaders’ agenda.
He noted that proposals to review the agenda-setting process to ensure better alignment between the design and implementation of Forum priorities, especially within the context of ongoing discussions on the regional architecture.
“I encourage us to keep this in mind throughout the deliberation of the issues before us today,” Manele stated.
He also called on leaders to consider the formalization of certain agenda-setting practices to ensure the Forum remains effective in advancing the Pacific’s shared priorities.
PM Manele concluded with a forward-looking vision for the region, calling on leaders to “secure a peaceful, resilient and prosperous Blue Pacific for generations to come.”
His statement reinforced the Pacific’s commitment to maintaining regional independence and unity in the face of external pressures.
“We believe in the regime’s strength and authority to advance our priorities,” he said.
The 54th PIF Leaders Plenary is expected to address pressing regional issues, including climate resilience, ocean governance, regional security, and the future direction of the Pacific regional architecture.

BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory opinion represents a blueprint for structural change.
Vanuatu Minister for Climate Change Adaptation, Energy, Environment, Meteorology, Geo-Hazard and Disaster Management, Ralph Regenvanu highlighted during the penal discussion on Understanding the ICJ -AO on Climate Change held at the Aquatic Centre yesterday.
“For Vanuatu, this opinion represents a blueprint for structural change inside our country, as well as outward facing. We are already integrating its conclusions into our updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) 3.0, which our Council of Ministers approved last week, and soon will be available publicly. We have put the ICJ-AO into the NDC, and climate due diligence will become part of the state’s governance architecture,” Minister Regenvanu said.
He said that it is not about short-term measures but about reshaping institutions and systems to ensure long-term accountability.
“We are aligning our NDCs with the court’s opinion at the national level. All licensing, permitting and procurement should pass through an ICJ implementation test to ensure projects are consistent with what has been defined as our duty to prevent climate harm. We are institutionalising procedures to invoke state responsibility, including notifications seeking cessation and remedies when foreign conduct harms Vanuatu.
He said that Mitigation and protection laws will be restructured to reflect the principle of non-refoulement, ensuring climate displaced persons are protected with dignity.
“We are also looking at safeguarding our sovereignty by securing maritime zones under UNCLOS so that rising seas cannot erase our entitlements. And we will establish a National Loss and Damage Claims and Evidence Facility to systematically document climate harm linked to our National Loss and Damage Fund, an institutional pathway for reparations and justice,” he said.

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

The Prime Minister of Fiji – the leader who championed the Ocean of Peace concept adopted yesterday in Honiara, says the declaration reaffirmed the Pacific way of unity that values peace and security.

It will also show to the world the Pacific people mean business with peace in the region, which reflects the collective stories of the Pacific islands.

“Today, through the ocean of peace, we recognise the rights of the people to peace and reaffirm the strong resolve of our people to contribute to and strengthen international peace and security.

“By this declaration, we have declared and secured this right,” he said.

Rabuka added the creates opportunity for unique cultures and people to declare their homes, waters, food sources, livelihoods, development and aspirations free of coercion.

He said it demands a certain standard of behaviour, one that embraces the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.

The PM emphasized that the 2025 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent is integral to the new way of thinking that is needed for Pacific region.

“While the region is in transition from cooperation to integration, we do so with a time-tested dream of the Pacific way.

“Dialogue, unity, faith, and trust are integral to that. Inherent to these is our agility as a region. These, too, are founding tenets of our Pacific regionalism,” Rabuka said.

He added unity among Pacific family fundamental for the ocean of peace to work. The foreign family is called upon to live by the values reflecting peace as one of the highest virtues.

“We are the demonstration of the principles we advocate, and the Pacific way is the fountain and platform on which we stand.

“The ocean of peace is also an end state. It will demonstrate that our region is free from militarisation, consistent with UN Charter, while embracing multiracialism and the principles of collective action.

“The ocean of peace tells the world who we are as a people, who we are as a region.

“Our silence must never be misread for emptiness or weakness. That we resent disrespect and coercion, while we might be small, our determination and faith in God, in the God we serve, is the very source of our being and regard,” Rabuka said.