Koror, Palau-It’s been two weeks since the curtains fell on the third UN Ocean Conference. At this largest ever ocean summit, the Pacific voice echoed as a collective, calling for more global ocean accountability, and offering transformational national and regional voluntary commitments. With the summit over and delegates safely back home, the focus now shifts to implementation.
Travelling miles, skies and seas away from home in the Blue Pacific continent, the Pacific Islands Forum Members were part of the 175 UN Member States, 64 Heads of States and Heads of Governments, 115 ministers, and 12,000 delegates from UN Member Governments, UN Organizations, Inter-governmental Organizations, Civil Society Organizations, the scientific community, the private sector, indigenous communities representatives and philanthropic organizations from across the globe, who convened in Nice for this weeklong conference.
Represented as one Blue Pacific at the highest political level, the region proved that when it comes to the ocean agenda – the Pacific is indeed a force to be reckoned with. The stakes are too high for the Pacific to remain passive and to allow these important discussions and decisions to be made without Pacific input.
With steadfast commitment to advancing ocean priorities and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the Pacific began preparations for UNOC3 as early as December 2024. In 2025, these efforts intensified through a Technical Officials Meeting, a dedicated Pacific Ocean Ministers Preparatory Meeting, and regular Pacific Ocean Alliance virtual calls that kept momentum strong and the regional coordination sharp. Ministers designated political Ocean Champions to advocate on different topics. UNOC3 saw the delivery of cohesive Pacific messages across the Ocean Action Panels, plenary sessions and side events across Nice. The Pacific came with two regional voluntary commitments: Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity and The Pacific Resilience Facility, and ground-breaking individual national voluntary commitments.
The presence at UNOC3 of Leaders from Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Niue and Kiribati, and Ministerial representation from Fiji, Vanuatu, Nauru, Australia and New Zealand was no coincidence. To the contrary, it was a deliberate strategy to convey Pacific messages at the highest political level, with the clear knowledge that the plight of the Pacific rests squarely on their shoulders as leaders of today. From the Pacific perspective, maintaining forward momentum on transformative Ocean action requires strong political will at the highest levels for meaningful intervention on the international plane.
From an artisan who travelled overseas for the first time with her the story of her provincial women’s group efforts for the ocean, to seasoned ocean diplomats, the message remained consistent – Pacific peoples are custodians of the Blue Pacific Ocean, 20% of the Earth’s surface. It’s time to get serious: Investing in Pacific solutions is investing in global planetary health.
The Pacific certainly led by example in Nice. French Polynesia President Moetai Brotherson’s announcement of the creation of the world’s largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) attracted international headlines. The Republic of Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine emphasized that the Pacific could be a global laboratory for ocean innovation, where low-emission fisheries, community-led marine protected areas, and sustainable tuna supply chains offer blueprints for the world. Palau, on behalf of Alliance of Small Islands Developing States, reiterated that SIDS cannot save the Ocean alone, no matter how well we’re resourced, and that ‘The Ocean doesn’t negotiate with half-measures and Neither should we.’
Solomon Islands and Vanuatu’s commitment known as the Melanesian Ocean Reserve will span over 6,074,240 square kilometers of ocean and islands, encompassing the combined national waters of the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea and connecting with the protected waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of New Caledonia. When complete, this Melanesian Reserve will be the largest Indigenous-led marine reserve on Earth.
One of the conference’s main objectives was to accelerate progress on the BBNJ Agreement – adopted in 2023 to ensure proper conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. Sixty ratifications are needed to bring the agreement into force. During the summit, 19 countries including Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Fiji deposited their instruments bringing the total number of ratifications to 50 as the summit concluded. Papua New Guinea and Niue signed the treaty at the summit. We are hopeful that this momentum will indeed inspire other UN Member States to get on the bandwagon and bring the Agreement into force sooner rather than later. Safe-guarding the health of the Ocean and its resources in the Pacific Ocean is not only a Pacific responsibility, but a global one.
At the Blue Economy and Finance Forum held in advance of UNOC3 we heard recognition of €25 billion in investments for ocean projects identified, with a further €8.7 billion committed to advance momentum towards a regenerative and sustainable ocean economy. At UNOC3 we heard a multitude of further commitments to support investment in the SDG14 targets. How much of this will be unlocked and invested in Blue Pacific solutions? Solutions that fit our realities and our special circumstances? Our small populations, remoteness, institutional capacities, limited financial resources, reliance on external markets, high transport costs, fragile ecosystems, vulnerability to climate change to name a few.
We are hopeful that in the coming weeks and months that all these ground-breaking initiatives will receive the support necessary to ensure sustainability in the implementation. It is my hope that by the fourth UNOC we will be talking about progress and how the world lived up to the commitments in Nice to accelerate Ocean action.
While the Pacific’s call for global accountability in ocean action reverberated on walls of the plenary and ocean action panel rooms, side event spaces, and the ships moored along the port Le Nice, it was at the Pacific Space that the Pacific vibes came alive. Located a few streets away from Nice Port, also on Promenade des Anglais, this was a home away from home for Pacific delegates, to meet, confer, consult and to analyse and unpack each day’s events. Senior Officials and CROP agencies also took advantage of the Pacific Space to conduct official business.
Back to my base in Palau and after several days of trying different kava-based concoctions to overcome the jetlag and reset the clock to the Palau time zone I have had the opportunity to reflect on the Ocean week in Nice.
From where I stood, the Pacific region as a collective came to Nice and seized the opportunity at this global forum with determination, taking on this global stage with the fervent commitment that Leaders promised they would undertake. There was discipline, a remarkable sense of Pacific unity throughout the Conference. More importantly, I was deeply moved but not surprised by the strong Pacific leadership on show at this global conference. Our Pacific voice was not only loud but strong and consistent in the messaging, and aligned to priorities our Leaders have set for us under the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent
The Nice Ocean Action Plan will be put to the test as we work to better operationalize political commitment toward sustainable use of the Ocean. Importantly, we will see whether the promised financial commitments will flow at the pace needed to address the pressing ocean challenges of the Pacific and of our world. The ball is now in their court.
In closing I take this opportunity to congratulate all those who were part of this historic ocean voyage to Nice. In particular, I must pay tribute to our Pacific Leaders who led from the front in conveying our Pacific message on the importance of a resilient and healthy Ocean in the clearest of terms. The excellent work by Member delegations, their officials and experts no doubt helped pave the way for a strong Pacific intervention at the conference.
Let me also acknowledge the important support role played by our CROP agencies namely, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), the University of the South Pacific (USP), in our regional preparations. I extend sincere gratitude to the CROP Heads concerned and their teams of experts. Finally, I also acknowledge the support by wider members of the Pacific Ocean Alliance in this voyage.
Let us continue to work together as a region, leveraging off the good work in Nice, and harnessing the momentum from UNOC3 as the wind in our sails-to drive us forward on our shared voyage of safeguarding our Blue Pacific.