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The Transformations Agenda; working to achieve 100 percent sustainable ocean economy

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By Loretta B Manele

Under the “Transformations Agenda”, the aim is working towards achieving a 100 percent sustainable ocean economy.

Dr Tom Pickerill of World Resources Institute discussed this when contributing to the Honiara Summit which focused on SDG 14.4 “Achieving Sustainable Resources” in late February this year.

He explained that there is the Ocean Panel which is currently formed of 18 members from across the globe and they collectively contribute 37% of the world’s exclusive economic services.

Pickerill said they have prepared what is called the “Transformations Agenda” which is their roadmap to 2030 that sets the tone to how they are going to get a sustainable ocean economy.

“The keystone of this Transformations Agenda is their headline commitment, which is by 2025, or within five years of joining, whatever is soon, to sustainably manage 100% of their national waters.

So just to put that in perspective, we have 37% of the world’s exclusive economic zones committing to deliver 100% sustainable management of their national waters.”

Pickerill stated that this is a significant effort that goes towards ocean conservation and sustainable ocean economy.

He expressed that this initiative relates to the aim of the Honiara conference in three ways.

Pickerill said firstly, the 100% sustainable management is a solution to IUU (Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing) and overfishing in the sense that the 100% approach commits nations to manage 100% of their national waters whilst also ensuring that fisheries are not only productive, but also well-regulated.

He added that this directly supports SDG 14.4 by integrating real-time monitoring, stronger enforcement, transparency, all to eliminate IUU.

Pickerill said the second point is the 100% sustainable management as a framework for achieving 30 by 30 and marine biodiversity goals.

He stated that the 100% approach not only works to protect the 30%, but also ensures that the remaining 70%, in this example, is managed responsibly through a framework called a Sustainable Ocean Plan, or SOP.

Pickerill said it helps to ensure the balance between conservation and sustainable use.

He went on to state that the final point is on the 100% sustainable management as a political and financial catalyst.

Pickerill said the 100% approach provides a clear, actionable commitment that enables governments, donors and investors to align funding with national ocean priorities.

Henceforth, he noted that by linking RFMOs, (Regional fisheries management organisations) UN agencies, and multilateral agreements, such as the High Seas Treaty or the World Trade Organization subsidies reform, this approach ensures policy coherence and long-term investment, all necessary for SDG 14.

Pickerill also took the opportunity to stress that the 100% approach can be really formative in transforming fisheries management, both including marine conservation and political action however it should be extended.

“37% is admirable and a huge achievement, but it means there’s an awful lot left, 63% of the world left.”

Pickerill stated that in September last year, they launched something called the 100% Alliance, which seeks to expand the approach to all coastal and island nations, providing technical and financial assistance and resourcing.

“We invite you to join us in this endeavour and commit to 100% sustainable ocean management.”

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Partnership and cooperation vital for fisheries management

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By Loretta B Manele

Partnership and cooperation have been stressed as vital components for fisheries management in the region and more broadly, globally.

Dr Darius Campbell, Secretary of the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission took the opportunity to share how global partnerships work towards fisheries management during the Honiara Summit on SDG 14.4 “Achieving Sustainable Fisheries” late last month.

He explained that the regional fisheries body, Secretariat for Networks comprised of about 50 inter-governmental organizations covers all of the regions and areas like deep-sea, pelagic fishing, tuna and inland lake fishing as well as providing advice and legal binding measures.

Campbell said while each of their members reflect very different social, economic and environmental circumstances of their regions and the priorities of their member states, for them SDG 14.4 is really business as usual.

“We’re already working in partnership to share information on ecosystem-based fisheries management, on climate change, on sharing operational data with each other, where our parties have allowed that.

So, we do have a focus around the globe tackling issues such as illegal fishing that we can again do through our partnerships”

Moreover, Campbell expressed that he is glad to see how discussions in the Pacific reflect the understanding that is at the heart of all the Sustainable Development Goals and not just on SDG 14.4.

“And not even just SDG 14 on life underwater, but on food security, on health, on nutrition, on land and water use, on employment and on gender roles and processes, etc.”

Campbell highlighted that as fisheries bodies they can’t cover all these aspects so they work in cooperation with other members in the region and across sectors.

He said one example is of that the Regional Secretariat’s network that has had two regional consultations, one in the Western Indian Ocean and one in the Eastern Central Atlantic.

Campbell stated that through this cooperation, all of the fisheries bodies in these regions were involved along with key players like the Southern African Development Community or the Economic Community of West African States.

“These meetings have tackled the sort of what, why, who and how of dealing with fisheries issues of common interest in the region, particularly overlaps and species and working out practical partnerships to deal with this.”

Campbell mentioned that fisheries bodies also have a central role in conservation, both as users of the environment and as managers of human impacts.

He said they have good monitoring and control systems, scientific capacity and can put measures in place for the long-term biodiversity benefits alongside sustainable use.

Campbell stated that another example of cross-sectorial cooperation is under the Convention on Biological Diversity and Sustainable Ocean Initiative.

He said under this cooperation, there have been meetings of about 25 regional fisheries bodies and regional seas conventions since 2016.

“We’ve been meeting to talk about our respective strengths and competencies in protection of biodiversity and in management of resources.

This has been a very effective way of collaboration on biodiversity issues and also has included a regional focus, so my Pacific brothers and sisters have also been really reactive in the Sustainable Ocean Initiative.”

He explained that in terms of how they operate as any governmental organization, it’s usually that one or another country leads a new initiative or partnership hence member states have the right of initiative.

However, also mentioned is that as individuals, secretaries and other members of the organisational secretariat, they also have a role to lead and engage with others, look for links, opportunities and to develop partnerships.

He pointed out that the bottom line is that they all have an individual responsibility and opportunities to initiate and to lead cooperation at every level.

Campbell furthered that in some regions, capacity and resources limit actions whereas in other places, all the elements are in place to do what is needed but there is lack of political will.

“So, I would say to those who are represented here at the highest levels in government, we in the fisheries bodies are willing and able and we look to you to help us deliver the real solution for your priorities.”

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Namibia’s journey to achieving top sustainability

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By Loretta B Manele

Namibia, a country on the south-west coast of Africa is a perfect example of how scientific outputs can successively led to top fisheries sustainability.

Graça Bauleth D’Almeida, Director of Resource Management at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Namibia spoke about this when contributing to “Session 4: Supporting fisheries sustainability through science” at the Honiara Summit on SDG 14.4 “Achieving Sustainable Fisheries” last month.

She said as is the case in the Pacific region, they depend heavily on fisheries income with the sector being the third contributor to their GDP after agriculture and mining in the first place.

D’Almeida explained that at their independence, 35 years ago, they faced a daunting task because most of their fish stocks at the time were either severely overfished or had collapsed.

She said they needed to rebuild these stocks to a sustainable level whilst at the same time allowing some harvesting and economic contribution from this sector to continue.

D’Almeida stated that to tackle this challenge, they first implemented a regulatory framework and one informed by science.

“Our Marine Resources Act specifically stipulates that the GACs are to be based on the best available scientific information.

Our situation has quite sometimes been challenging, especially to make the politicians understand and not sort of nail us in the uncertainty that is inherent in the fisheries science and decision-making process.”

D’Almeida they then immediately started conducting annual surveys for each of their commercial exploited fish stocks.

She added that for a period of about 10 years, they relied on these indices as the basis for the management of their resources.

“I would like to acknowledge that we have done this with the help of our development partners at that time, especially Norway through the NOW, FAO, PAF, Nansen Program, as well as Spain.”

She expressed that their assistance has really helped them to set up their management.

In this regard, D’Almeida said over time, as more data and information on the resources became available, they started using stock assessment models, which accounted for more data on the fishery and over time, they integrated harvest control rules in these assessments.

She stated that after that, they moved to more robust stock assessment methods and in addition, established time frames as to when the stock biomass levels are to reach biologically sustainable levels.

D’Almeida said without this, the whole poster has been changing, but these time frames, especially guided by the marine stewardship certification, where they have stock-based regeneration times, helped them to have one finish line that was basically fixed.

She went on to state that they are now in a phase where they are looking at a more holistic approach to fisheries management and are considering broader aspects, including the assessment and control of bycatch species and the impact of footprints of their fishery sector on the ecosystem.

D’Almeida furthered that while their stocks have not fully recovered to MSY (Maximum Sustainable Yield) levels, their trajectory is looking good and they expect their resources to make full recovery to MSY levels in the shortest time feasible as directed by Target 4 of SDG 14.

She is proud to say that Namibia has developed an enviable research infrastructure and regulatory framework.

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International Women’s Day 3-day program starts today

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By Loretta B Manele

An International Women’s Day 3-day program will kick off today at the National Museum Auditorium, Point Cruz.

These three days will be filled with interesting speeches, entertainment and a number of stalls will also be available for keen shoppers.

Today, the first day is themed “Leadership and Inclusion”.

The three key messages behind this theme are; participation and representation of women in leadership, International Women’s Day is about leaving no one behind and promote women of all diversity in leadership.

Two sessions for the first day will be on “Accelerate Action through Temporary Special Measures for Women in Provincial Assemblies” and “Leadership, Motherhood and Culture, Achieving the balance and its impact”.

There will also be entertainment with the final one being a Zumba session.

Today marks the first day in celebrating the roles of women at home, in the workplaces or in the communities.

It is a time to celebrate our women who are grandmothers, mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, cousins, bosses, colleagues and individuals who all have the potential and power to make or be the change they want in their families, communities, country and in the world.

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To keep our fisheries robust and resilient: WCPFC purpose

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

A clear purpose drives the work of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) to keep fisheries robust and resilient.

Ms. Rhea Moss-Christian, the Executive Director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), said when reflecting on the contributions of the WCPFC to sustainability and challenges and the way forward.

Speaking at the Honiara Summit 2025 “Iumi Tugeda Delivering on SDG 14.4: Achieving Sustainable Fisheries”, Christian said that the WCPFC is the body that oversees what is perhaps the largest tuna fishery.

She told delegates that the WCPFC managed the world’s largest tuna fishery, and members’ commitment to the organisation’s objectives are seen in the status of fish stocks that it manages.

According to Christian, the WCPFC faces challenges much the same as any multilateral organization.

She said that competing interests are highlighted by varying degrees of resource dependency and harvesting capabilities, which means that decision-making is imperfect.

She said that the WCPFC Chair outlined the importance of consensus decision-making in the WCPFC, which, although it may result in less than robust outcomes, has to be stated that for an organization of this nature, consensus decision-making has also returned some remarkable results for the region and the organization.

“Collaboration and cooperation have been essential to WCPFC’s work,’’ emphasized Christian.

The Honiara Summit brought together more than 350 delegates, including Pacific leaders, global experts and representatives, from 24 – 27 February 2025.

The Summit was co-hosted by the Solomon Islands Government and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), with support from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the Special Oceans Envoy of the UN Secretary General and the Pacific Community (SPC).

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BBNJ Agreement’s potential for fisheries management

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement has the potential to contribute positively to fisheries’ management in the Pacific.

The recently appointed Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, Ms. Elinor Hammarskjöld, said this when she virtually addressed the Honiara Summit on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14.4, on the session supporting fisheries’ sustainability through the implementation of international instruments.

“While the BBNJ Agreement is, of course, not in itself a fisheries management instrument, some of its provisions have the potential to affect fisheries management. some of the provisions, most notably on area-based management tools, including marine protected area and environmental impact assessments,’’ she said.

Hammarskjöld said that the BBNJ agreement will also provide a basis for greater cooperation and coordination of the fisheries sector with other sectors.

“My office has been engaged in a global effort to promote a better understanding of the BBNJ Agreement and to prepare for its entry into force, including by assisting states in undertaking the necessary steps to ratify it,’’ she said.

“The United Nations Ocean Conference will provide an important opportunity to assess progress in achieving the targets agreed in SDG 14.4 and to set a roadmap for continuing and expediting our work.

“I am hopeful that the Honiara Summit will greatly contribute to this process,’’ said Ms Hammarskjöld.

The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, also referred to as the High Seas Treaty or Global Ocean Treaty, is a legally binding instrument for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.

The Agreement addresses four themes:1 marine genetic resource (MGRs) and their Digital sequence information, including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits; 2 area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs), 3 environmental impact assessments (EIAs); and 4 capacity building and transfer of marine technology (CB&TMT).

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Aelan Riddim music festival conference set for Wednesday

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BY JOHN HOUANIHAU

The Aelan Riddim Music Festival media conference is set for tomorrow, Wednesday, 12, at the Our Telekom Point Cruz Office at 10 am.

A statement from the organisers said that the conference is to announce the highly anticipated Aelan Riddim Music Festival and introduce the 5 visiting headliner artists from Papua New Guinea (PNG) who will be gracing the stage at this year’s event in Honiara.

The statement said that the Aelan Riddim Music Festival is a celebration of Pacific music, culture, and unity, bringing together artists and audiences from across the region.

It adds that this year’s inaugural Aelan Riddim Music festival promises to be a unique music show with an exciting lineup of trending Solomon Island performances but also reaching into the past to celebrate our legendary musicians, workshops, and cultural showcases.

The statement said that the conference is an opportunity to meet and interact with the 5 headliner artists from PNG who are making their debut at the festival, gain insights into the festival’s vision, schedule, and unique highlights, and participate in a Q&A session with the festival organizers and artists.

In the statement, the festival organizers said that the coverage will play a vital role in spreading the word about this vibrant celebration of Pacific music and culture.

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Marking Commonwealth Day on the Honiara Commonwealth Walkway

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Commonwealth Day was marked on Sunday with a seven kilometre walk through Honiara following the Commonwealth Walkway.

United Kingdom High Commissioner Paul Turner walked alongside Girl Guides and Scouts on the 7km journey starting from Unity Square ending at St Barnabas Cathedral.

This walk also launched Honiara’s Commonwealth Walkway.

The Honiara Commonwealth Walkway is a seven-kilometre route with points of interest along its path, including the Solomon Islands National Museum, the National Art Gallery, the National Parliament of Solomon Islands, the Guadalcanal Memorial, the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lawson Tama Stadium, St Barnabas Anglican Cathedral, the Honiara Central Market and the Solomon Scouts and Coast Watchers monument at Commonwealth Street.

Each Commonwealth country has a Commonwealth Walkway in its capital city; the Walkway connects every nation in the Commonwealth, covering a third of the world’s population.

It is designed to link and engage people in their shared history and tradition and to promote the Commonwealth principles and values of diversity, equality and friendship and keep people active

High Commissioner Turner together with the Solomon Islands Scouts and Guides walked starting at the National Art Gallery, to the National Museum and on to the Coast Watcher monument.

They then headed to the Holy Cross Cathedral and St Barnabas Church.

At each of these points of interest, they unveiled brass medals installed onto concrete plinths to mark the Commonwealth Walkway.

Commonwealth Day is on March 10. This year’s theme for Commonwealth Day is ‘Together We Thrive’, celebrating the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth family – 56 independent member countries united by shared values enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter

GNUT continues to support gender equality

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The Government for National Unity and Transformation (GNUT) stands shoulder to shoulder with women across the nation as we celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025.

As part of the celebration, GNUT reaffirms its commitment to promoting gender equality in its policy programs and transformation initiatives.

Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, MP, made this assurance while commemorating International Women’s Day 2025.

This year’s theme, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights, Equality, Empowerment,” aligns well with GNUT’s commitment to integrating gender equality across all its programs.

The Prime Minister stated that GNUT is dedicated to advancing gender equality “in all areas of life and at all levels, ensuring that both men and women in the Solomon Islands fully enjoy their human rights, participate equally, and access development opportunities that support their well-being.”

PM Manele extended his congratulations to all mothers and daughters for their sacrifices in raising the future generation of the country.

Referring to this year’s theme, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for policies, strategies, legislation, and resources to empower and uplift women and girls. He underscored that when women are empowered, there is greater hope for social and economic progress in the country.

PM Manele further highlighted that women in decision-making roles contribute to informed policies that impact women’s health, access to quality education, sustainable agriculture, and food security—critical foundations for national survival.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed that, as part of its transformation agenda, GNUT remains committed to:

  • Mainstreaming gender equality in its policy programs and services.
  • Improving the economic status of women.
  • Supporting the equal participation of women and men at all levels of decision-making.
  • Promoting equal representation in governance and leadership.

He added that GNUT will continue to:

  • Support the fight against gender-based violence.
  • Recognize the vital role of women in peace and security.
  • Advocate for women’s rights, including access to sexual and reproductive health services.

In closing, PM Manele congratulated all women and girls as they mark International Women’s Day 2025.

International Women’s Day is an annual event, officially sanctioned by the United Nations (UN) in 1977, when the UN General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace.

Agovaka thanked Japan for nutrition improvement project in Isabel and Western provinces

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BY NED GAGAHE

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET), Peter Shanel Agovaka, has expressed deep gratitude to the Government of Japan for successfully finalizing an agreement regarding the USD $3,389,319 Project for Nutrition Improvement through school meals in Isabel and Western Provinces.

This project, a collaboration between the Government of Japan as the donor and UNICEF as the implementing agency, aims to enhance nutrition and provide healthier meals for students in the provinces.

Speaking at the signing ceremony for the amended Grant Agreement for the Kilu’ufi Hospital Expansion Project on Friday, Minister Agovaka took the opportunity to recognize Japan’s significant contributions.

“Ambassador, at this juncture, I wish to acknowledge and thank the Government of Japan for its continued support. Solomon Islands hopes to see this initiative extended throughout the country in the near future.

“We believe that the experiences from this project will assist UNICEF and other key government stakeholders in acquiring the necessary knowledge and skills to ensure the success of this initiative nationwide.” Minister Agovaka said.

The Minister expressed his confidence that the nutrition improvement project would have a significant impact on the health and well-being of schoolchildren in Isabel and Western Provinces, benefiting their long-term growth and development.

Minister Agovaka also thanked Ambassador Keiichi Higuchi for his dedication and the ongoing support from Japan over the years.

“Finally, Your Excellency, thank you very much for all the support received from the Government of Japan throughout the years. With these few remarks, allow me to wish you well in your tenure in office, and may we continue to advance our cooperation going forward,” the Minister added.

The new partnership between Japan, UNICEF, and the Solomon Islands Government aims to improve the nutritional status of Solomon Island’s children, providing them with the tools they need to lead healthy lives and contribute to the future wellbeing of their communities.

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