Pacific leaders and regional partners have called for stronger Pacific-led governance of deep seabed minerals, stressing sustainability, environmental protection and respect for international law as debates over ocean mining continue across the region.
The call came during the opening of the Pacific SIDS Regional Workshop on the Deep Seabed Sustainable Blue Growth Initiative, attended by Pacific governments, partners and the International Seabed Authority in Fiji on Tuesday.
Opening the workshop, Fiji’s Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo said Pacific countries carried a responsibility to protect the ocean while discussing the future of seabed resources.
“The ocean has sustained Pacific peoples for millennia. It has been our highway, our food source, our spiritual home, and our shared inheritance. As we consider the governance of what lies beneath its surface, we carry not only legal obligations—but a deeper responsibility,” Vosarogo said.
The three-day workshop, organised by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), is focused on strengthening Pacific capacity on deep seabed governance, environmental protection and legal decision-making linked to seabed minerals.
The workshop is also launching practical tools to help Pacific countries navigate legal and commercial decisions related to sponsoring seabed mining activities.
Pacific Islands Forum Acting Secretary General Desna Solofa said Pacific nations remained committed to international law despite differing positions on deep sea mining.
“Our diverse perspectives reflect our sovereign choices, our varied capacities, and our shared desire to protect the health of our Pacific ocean for generations to come. And for this, we believe that open dialogue, trust, and respect are critical when it comes to discussing deep sea minerals.
We remain guided by our collective values, as articulated in the 2050 Strategy,” Solofa said.
She said Pacific countries remained committed to a rules-based international order under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The workshop is also promoting stronger science-based policies, accountability and greater participation by Pacific women in ocean research and governance.
Organisers said the meeting aimed to ensure Pacific voices remain coordinated and influential in global decisions on the future of the ocean and deep seabed minerals.
