BY NED GAGAHE
Honiara will host a major regional ocean event this year; the Pacific Islands Ocean Conference which is set to take place from 29 September to 3 October 2025.
The conference is being organized by the Pacific Community (SPC) through its Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science, in partnership with the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The event aims to strengthen sustainable ocean management in the Pacific and builds on the momentum of two important regional gatherings—the Pacific Islands Conference on Ocean Science and Management held in September 2023 and the Pacific Regional Ocean Policy and Governance Dialogue in August 2023.
The meetings held earlier, laid the groundwork for better collaboration between science, policy and traditional knowledge systems.
The conference is part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and supports the region’s commitment to the Blue Pacific narrative, with a focus on bringing together Pacific voices to address key ocean issues.
The upcoming conference will provide a space for Pacific stakeholders to share updates, challenges and lessons in advancing ocean science and management.
It will feature research presentations from Pacific scientists and offer opportunities for experts from across sectors to highlight cross-cutting work related to the ocean.
Participants will engage in dialogue on integrated ocean management, ocean governance, early warning systems and policy implementation.
Traditional knowledge will also be a key focus, with discussions on how it is being incorporated into marine services, risk products, research and monitoring.
The conference will also reflect on outcomes from recent global and regional ocean events, including UNOC3, the Our Ocean Conference and the Honiara Summit and will explore the implementation of global and regional ocean strategies across the Pacific.
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