Special Envoy for the President of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kandhi Elieisar, addressed regional leaders at the Melanesian Ocean Summit Tuesday, calling for urgent, science-based action to protect the Pacific’s most vital resource.
Representing President Wesley W. Simina, Elieisar opened his remarks by thanking Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape for hosting this gathering.
The Envoy emphasised that for island communities, the ocean is more than just a resource; it is a source of food, income, and cultural identity.
“It is indeed the lifeblood of our island communities,” he stated, “and is fundamental to our sovereignty.”
However, he issued a stark warning regarding the deteriorating health of the Pacific.
He highlights several “unprecedented challenges,” including: The region’s primary security threat. Over 150 million metric tons of plastic currently contaminate the seas.
Elieisar added that nearly 90 percent of global fish stocks are fished at or beyond sustainable limits.
“There is simply no healthy planet without a healthy ocean,” Elieisar remarked, noting that human activity remains the chief cause of this decline.
Representing a “big ocean state,” the FSM Envoy urged Pacific nations to leverage their collective strength.
He highlighted the Micronesia Challenge 2030 as a flagship framework for translating global biodiversity goals such as the “30×30” initiative—into concrete local results.
Elieisar also called for the swift ratification of the BBNJ Treaty (Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction), stressing that developing states must have fair access to green technology and benefit-sharing.
The Envoy concluded by reminding the summit that ocean governance is a generational responsibility.
“It is not so much that we inherit the ocean from our ancestors,” he concluded, “but that we borrow it from our children.”
The summit continues this week, with leaders expected to further discuss regional cooperation and shared solutions for a resilient Pacific continent.
