As Leaders and Champions of the Ocean headed to Tonga over the weekend for the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, there was a gathering of the Pacific Ocean Alliance, organised by the Pacific Ocean Commissioner’s Office (OPOC) in Tonga on 24 August. As a multi stakeholder coordination mechanism created by the Pacific Island Forum Leaders through the 2010 Regional Ocean Policy, the POA held its first ever Alliance event at the margins of the Forum Leaders, this year 2024. Creating a POA Space for Ocean Champions and stakeholders alike is more important now than ever before because of the increased interest in the Pacific Ocean.
Bringing the POA to meet during the PIF Leaders meeting week is getting ocean as a sideline issue to become a central one alongside climate change, financing and so on. The POA event was convened by the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and its partners including High Seas Alliance, Waitt Foundation, Pristine Seas Nat Geo and Ocean 5. The guests included The Speaker of the House of Parliament of the Kingdom of Tonga Lord Fakafanua, Prime Minister of Tuvalu Honourable Feleti Teo, Minister Gustav Aitaro of Palau, Director General of SPREP and Deputy Secretary General Esala Nayasi, and surrounded by CSO’s and partners. The event was represented by all the relevant members of the Alliance.
With a warm welcome to Tonga by Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Energy, Information, Disaster, Environment, Communication and Climate Change (MEIDECC), Mr. ‘Akau’ola reiterated the utilization of information sharing mechanisms and keeping all stakeholders informed of ocean developments and initiatives even where interests are diverse. He highlighted Tonga’s exceptional progress on marine spatial planning and marine protection achievements.
Prime Minister Feleti Teo shared his wealth of experience in the Ocean space especially given his involvement in the formulation of the Framework of Pacific Oceanscape in 2010. He also acknowledged the need for collaboration with partners in the ocean space. Guest speakers explained the use of the Pacific Ocean Alliance as a space to address coordination and coherence of ocean matters through all its ocean stakeholders. Palau’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Seid highlighted Palau’s triumphant efforts as the first country to ratify the BBNJ Treaty, its progress in Plastic Treaty negotiations and becoming the host of the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner in Palau. Mr. Sefanaia Nawadra highlighted the role of CROP with OPOC and the acknowledgement of new players in the Ocean Space and the need for players to focus on the new things that can be added to the current existing focused areas. Having Ms. Sylvia Earl at the event was monumental and empowering as she shared with the POA her experiences in scientific ocean experience over the years and her deep insights into work on the Ocean. She encouraged all attendees to focus on the role that each can contribute and to carry this out meaningfully.
Currently, the Pacific Ocean Alliance is a platform that is within the auspices of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner Through the professional support of the Office of the Pacific Ocean Commissioner on advocacy and coordination both regionally and internationally, Dr. Manoni is working to bring together the POA There are planned POA events including webinars and POA spaces scheduled for the last quarter of this year and first quarter of next year as a build up to the Pacific Ocean Alliance Triennial Meeting in April 2025 and the United Nations Ocean Conference in France in June 2025.
