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Region Region

Certainly, there is a new breed of leaders coming through, sustainability?
so I think it’s natural to expect that dynamics at that level The Brest Summit was very successful – there was a strong
will change within the Forum. But what is critical is that lead- and wide participation. It’s the first of a series of very high
ers must have due regard to the history of the Forum, and the level ocean events this year. I think we can trace that back
lessons that can be learned from that history. to COP26, when the world finally acknowledged the oceans/
One of the founding pillars of the Forum is this ability to climate change nexus, a link that is very real, based on sci-
talk through any problem. That certainly requires a lot of entific knowledge and evidence. We look forward to driving
patience and also paying respect to each other. But I’m not the oceans agenda for the Pacific – the maritime declaration
too concerned about the change of dynamics at leaders level, adopted by leaders last August has been recognised as a land-
because I believe in the unity of the Forum. I think there are mark by UNCLOS founders like Tommy Koh.
enough lessons from our history to prove that we are stronger
and strongest together. On 1 March, you joined students at the University of the
The CROP agencies do a magnificent job for the region. If South Pacific to highlight nuclear threats to the region,
there are any tensions, I don’t think that they are substan- calling for “peace through international law, international
tive. However, I’ve come to appreciate that we are not all co-operation and the elimination of all nuclear weapons.”
similar in our accountability and our governance. Keep in The student anti-nuclear meeting at USP was a wonderful,
mind that the Forum Secretariat is directly responsible to the moving gathering. I was really touched by the interest and
leaders. With the other CROP agencies like SPREP or SPC, they engagement shown by our young people and to hear their
are not directly responsible to our leaders, but have their own deepest thoughts and feelings.
governance system and are responsible to authorities other The issue of the Runit Dome and nuclear legacies in the
than the leaders. Marshall Islands is one of the issues that I’m really serious
about pushing forward during my term. If we are serious
Is the Forum’s proposed “2050 Strategy for the Blue about the oceans, and if the world – including the United
Pacific Continent” a rallying point for renewed unity? In the States – is serious about the oceans, they’ve got to clean up
past, we’ve seen such plans start as a visionary document, that mess in a hurry. According to reports, it’s already starting
but then the process is captured by technocratic interests. to leak into the ocean.
That’s the nature of plans. It’s a vision from today, looking
forward to 2050, but time always has an influence on plans. You also spoke about Japanese proposals to dump treated
The world does not remain constant and so plans need to be radioactive waste water into the Pacific from next year…
adapted to the changing environment. For now, however, I That is still very much a key agenda item for the Forum.
think it’s a good focal point, serving as a North Star for the We are working very hard on that, having engaged a panel of
region, one we can all aim for in our national and regional experts to develop scientific questions that are changing the
activities. dynamics of our engagement with Japan. We hope to come to
The 2050 plan takes into the reality that our region now a suitable agreement between both parties, but for us, the
is very geopolitically important. We need to have something bottom line is if there is any risk to the health of the oceans,
that binds us all together, to ensure we do what is best as a it cannot be allowed to go ahead.
collective for our Blue Pacific continent.
Last December, you joined the Forum Ministerial Mission
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there is grow- to New Caledonia, at the time of their referendum on self-
ing international attention on affairs in Europe. Are you determination. How did you react to the refusal of inde-
concerned that this crisis will draw attention away from the pendence supporters to participate in the vote?
priorities of Pacific Island governments on climate, oceans My feeling overall was one of sadness at the situation on the
and development? ground there. The sadness that I felt was that the voices of
It is a concern, but it is what it is. I’m pleased with the re- the indigenous community were not heard or taken notice of,
action of the Forum members [where all states voted for the especially with the onset of the pandemic and the impact that
UN General Assembly vote condemning the invasion]. Although it had on the traditions and customs of the indigenous people.
we are so far away from the theatre of war, it will have ef- The pandemic cut across any effective campaigning for the
fects on us, such as a shortage of flour and bread, increases in referendum. I think the option taken by the FLNKS not to par-
the price of fuel and so on. ticipate in the referendum was the honourable thing to do.
But you’re right, there is a concern that world attention will But that feeling is also tinged with a lot of hope, particu-
shift away from topics like the oceans and climate change. It larly with the leadership that New Caledonia now has. I have
is up to us to make sure the world does not forget about these a lot of respect for their current President [Louis Mapou] and I
important priorities. think he’s doing a fantastic job.

You’ve just returned from Europe, attending the US Secretary of State Tony Blinken has recently visited
OneOcean conference in Brest. Was there much attention
on controversial issues like seabed mining as well as oceans Continued on page 35

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