BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
The Ocean of Peace serves as an acknowledgment for the Pacific region to uphold the existing conditions.
Tingika Elikana, Cook Islands Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration made this statement during a side event at the PIFLM focused on regional integration and the Ocean of Peace, which took place at the Aquatic Centre on Thursday.
This side event, aims to foster an ‘Ocean of Peace’ through enhanced regional integration and discussions among government officials, regional representatives, and civil society members.
“From my perspective, as both a Cook Islander and a Pacific Islander, I view this as a recognition of our goals to preserve the current state of affairs and our commitment to tackling the challenges we encounter. Without peace, particularly climate peace, it will be exceedingly challenging to thrive in our region,” he said.
He said that the Pacific Islands are acutely aware of the difficulties faced in this area, especially concerning climate change and geopolitical tensions.
“None of our actions suffice. I have attended all these meetings, and we consistently address the effects or impacts, yet none of our actions are sufficient. Nevertheless, we are the ones who unite to tackle these issues. Consider the PRF we recently signed. It serves as a recognition of the Pacific Islands coming together to confront these challenges,” he said.
He said that the PRF acknowledges the reality that these issues cannot be addressed at the national level by Pacific Island states acting individually.
“As I previously mentioned, the ocean of peace symbolizes our aspirations. Therefore, we cannot achieve it alone. The Cook Islands cannot accomplish it on a national scale. Neither can Fiji or Palau. However, as a region, we may have some influence. Yet, we require the support of our partners to clearly define what the ocean of peace signifies for us to progress,” he said.
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