“THE world knows that we, the Pasifika people, mean business and it starts here, with us,” said Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
Pacific Island leaders have signed the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration, formally committing the region to peace, sovereignty, and climate justice.
Finalised after two years and 24 days of consultation across the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), the declaration was officially signed on 10 September 2025.
At the heart of the declaration is a strong rejection of militarisation and great power rivalry, reaffirming the Pacific’s commitment to international peace and security in line with the UN Charter.
Rabuka emphasised the urgency and purpose behind the move.
“The Ocean of Peace Declaration reflects each of us and collectively, our region. The call to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is not just a target; it is a lifeline. For us, this is neither politics nor science. It is about survival. And our survival is not negotiable.”
He added that declaring the Pacific as an Ocean of Peace creates an opportunity for the region’s unique cultures and peoples to protect their homes, waters, food sources, livelihoods, development, and aspirations from coercion.
The declaration builds on and amplifies the Boe Declaration, with leaders reaffirming the right of Pacific people, and free from external interference.
Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele brought historical weight to the announcement, recalling the region’s wartime past; “Nearly eight decades ago, the tranquil shores of Solomon Islands were the site of one of the most brutal confrontations of the Second World War. The Ocean of Peace Declaration is a reclamation of our sovereignty and our shared destiny.”
“It is a solemn vow that our seas, air, and lands will never again be drawn into the vortex of great power rivalry.”
Manele further emphasised that the declaration is a unified Pacific commitment to addressing the full spectrum of challenges the region faces from climate change, the single greatest threat, to natural disasters, socio-economic issues, and emerging soft and hard security threats that demand multidimensional solutions.
The declaration also highlights the special circumstances of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), whose very existence is threatened by rising sea levels and worsening climate impacts.
Despite the Pacific’s consistent climate leadership, Rabuka warned; “The lack of meaningful action by the world’s highest emitters continues to put our very existence at risk.”
“Pacific leaders have spoken with clarity and authority. Leaders have declared that their home, the Blue Pacific Continent is an Ocean of Peace.”
