PINA

By Pita Ligaiula in Lisbon The Pacific nation of Tuvalu is well represented at the UN oceans Conference(UNOC) in Lisbon this week despite diplomatic spat with China. Tuvalu's foreign minister Simon Kofe withdrew from the UNOC in protest after accusing Beijing of coercion against his delegation. Tuvalu maintain diplomatic relationships with Taiwan. Kofe said China sought to remove Taiwanese delegates from Tuvalu's credentials...

By Pita Ligaiula in Lisbon, Portugal France will co-host the next United Nations Oceans conference (UNOC) in 2025 in the city of Marseille. The announcement was made Thursday by French President, Emmanuel Macron at the UNOC in Lisbon, Portugal. Macron said France will co-host the next conference with Costa Rica. “We must set ourselves, as during the Paris agreements in 2015, ambitious objectives...

By Pita Ligaiula in Lisbon, Portugal Pacific Ocean Commissioner and Forum Secretary-General, Henry Puna has called on all UN Members to join the Declaration on Preserving Maritime Zones in the face of Climate Change-related Sea-level rise. Speaking Thursday at the interactive dialogue: “Enhancing the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law, as reflected in the...

By Pita Ligaiula in Lisbon, Portugal Voices of Small scale fisheries are often undervalued and unrecognised in global food systems, delegates and experts at the UN Oceans conference heard this week. The interactive dialogue — “Making Fisheries Sustainable and Ensuring Access to Marine Resources and Markets for Small-Scale Fishers” — looked at how subsidies exacerbate the problems of overcapacity and...

Leaders from across the Pacific region will be gathering next month for the 51st Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and related meetings from 11-14 July 2022 in Suva, Fiji. Chaired by the Prime Minister of Fiji, Voreqe Bainimarama, the meeting will be an opportunity to strengthen relationships and reset goals and priorities for regionalism and collective action as a Forum Family. "The...

By Pita Ligaiula in Lisbon, Portugal Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS) are demanding greater action from countries responsible for increased pressure on marine ecosystems at the UN Oceans Conference in Lisbon. They also emphasised that international law, strong partnerships and honoured commitments chart the way to sustainable ocean management. The 2022 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development...

By Pita Ligaiula in Lisbon, Portugal Pacific leaders attending the 2022 UN Ocean Conferences this week heard that 'Marine and coastal ecosystems' are the most threatened in the world. Speaking at the “Managing, protecting, conserving and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems” discussion, Fijian Prime Minister and Chair of the Pacific Islands Forum said the region has experienced climate change, pollution and...

By Pita Ligaiula in Lisbon, Portugal Chair of the Pacific Parliamentarians Alliance on Deep Sea Mining (PPADSM)has called on Pacific nations of Nauru, Cook Islands, Kiribati and the Kingdom of Tonga to follow the lead of Tuvalu and abandon their plans for deep-sea mining in their territorial waters. Vanuatu Opposition leader, Ralph Regenvanu made the plea in his virtual address at...

By Pita Ligaiula in Lisbon, Portugal The Tongan government has joined other countries in the call for the adoption of the “Declaration for the enhancement of marine scientific knowledge, research capacity and transfer of marine technology to Small Islands Developing States (SIDS).” Speaking at the 2022 United Nations Conference in Lisbon, to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve...

By Pita Ligaiula in Lisbon, Portugal The Pacific nations of Palau and Fiji announced Monday their strong opposition to deep-sea mining and the launch of a 'new alliance' to prevent the destructive industry to go ahead. Palau President Surangel Whipps made the announcement at the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) side-event, co-hosted by the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition and the World Wildlife...