Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Ministers will push for stronger language on nuclear issues in the 2026 Forum Leaders’ communique, with the move coming in the wake of China’s ballistic missile test into the Pacific in July and growing global nuclear risks.
Ministers welcomed the intention of Forum Members to develop stronger language on nuclear issues in the 2026 Leaders’ Communique, as progress on international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation remains stalled.
The Ministers also addressed recent missile testing in the region and called for a collective regional response based on solidarity and consensus-based decision-making.
They asked Senior Officials to develop a Leaders Statement on the recent missile tests, with the statement to be agreed and submitted for consideration by Forum Leaders at the 55th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau.
China’s July missile test was its first known ballistic-missile test into the Pacific since September 2024.
The Ministers’ discussions form part of wider efforts to strengthen the Pacific’s collective position on peace, security and nuclear issues.
Foreign Ministers are also calling for stronger regional action on nuclear legacy issues, including nuclear contamination, disarmament and the unresolved impacts of past nuclear testing in the Pacific.
Ministers noted the 2025/26 Report of the Secretary General on the Treaty of Rarotonga and progress towards implementing Leaders’ direction to operationalise the treaty.
They agreed to forward the report to Forum Leaders for consideration.
Ministers also welcomed progress on the Preliminary Independent Review on Nuclear Contamination in the Pacific, including contamination at the former nuclear test site at Runit in the Marshall Islands.
The review has renewed attention on the Marshall Islands’ engagement with the United States over the impacts of the U.S nuclear testing programme.
Ministers recalled the 2024 Leaders’ decision to support bilateral, regional and multilateral action to assist the Republic of the Marshall Islands in its engagement with the United States towards a just resolution of the U.S nuclear testing programme.
They recommended that Forum Leaders consider sending a joint letter to the United States based on information presented in the Preliminary Review.
Foreign Ministers reaffirmed the region’s longstanding commitment to addressing nuclear legacy issues.
They also reaffirmed continued regional engagement on the discharge of Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS)-treated water and efforts to develop a long-term regional approach to nuclear-related discharge and contamination issues.
Ministers congratulated Tonga on acceding to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) on 7 July 2026.
They noted that Tonga’s ratification completes CTBT universalisation across the Pacific region.
Ministers also endorsed the candidature of New Zealand’s Dr Penelope Ridings for re-election to the International Law Commission for the 2028–2032 term.
They further endorsed the development of the 2050 International Engagement and Advocacy Strategy as a framework to consolidate and streamline regional engagement, advocacy and partnership initiatives.
Forum Leaders are expected to consider the strategy in 2027.
