BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Leaders will sign the Melanesian Ocean Reserve declaration and the Pacific Resilience Fund (PRF) during the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leader Meeting (PIF) next week.
“With regards to the Melanesian Ocean Reserve, that work is ongoing,” Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele told local media in a press conference on Thursday this week.
He said that the MORD is an important piece of work, not only in how the region sustainably manages its oceans between Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea.
“Not only in terms of conservation, but also to sustainably manage resources that are there, allowing communities that are close to those reserve areas. So that’s the initiative.
“In terms of the Pacific Resilience Facility, once it is signed, then all the forum member countries will be part of the Pacific Resilience Facility. And of course, the forum member countries will continue to work together in terms of resourcing that PRF,” said PM Manele.
Providing further details on the Melanesian Ocean Reserve, Secretary to the Prime Minister (SPM), Melchior Mataki said that the Melanesian Ocean Reserve is intended to improve the overall governance of the ocean space between the three countries.
“And so, the objective is to look at improving governance, but also recognising the indigenous and also the fact that our people have always lived and worked on the ocean for ages.
“And I think that recognition is something that we are also bringing to the front to inform the overall governance, not just from a strict scientific perspective, but also to recognise the fact that our people have always been using the ocean, always been managing the ocean.
“I think that part is an important part of the work of the Melanesian Ocean Reserve,” said Mr. Mataki.
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