Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers have called for greater transparency and reassurance over recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests in the Pacific, reaffirming the region’s commitment to peace, security and stability.
The Ministers made the call following discussions on the 2025 Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration and recent ICBM tests in the region at the 2026 Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting last Friday in Suva.
Ministers recognised the importance of a consensus-based regional position in elevating the Pacific’s concerns over peace and security.
They also stressed that states conducting ICBM tests must respect the sovereignty of Pacific Islands Forum members and act consistently with existing regional and international commitments.
“Ministers reflected on the timeliness of the 2025 Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration and discussed the recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests in the region.”
“Ministers recognised and reaffirmed the value of a consensus-based regional statement in elevating the importance of peace, security and stability in the Pacific region.”
“In light of concerns raised by a number of Pacific Islands Forum Members, Ministers called for transparency and reassurance.”
“They also emphasised the importance of all States conducting ICBM tests consistently with the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration, the Treaty of Rarotonga, and respecting the sovereignty of Forum Members.”
The discussions come after China conducted a ballistic-missile test into the Pacific in July, its first known such test since September 2024.
The launch came just hours after Fiji and Australia signed a major defence treaty, marking Fiji’s first-ever security alliance.
The Forum Ministers’ position places renewed emphasis on the Pacific’s call for transparency and reassurance as regional security concerns grow.
The 2025 Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration provides a regional framework for reinforcing the Pacific’s identity as a zone of peace and for promoting dialogue, stability and respect for sovereignty.
