The side event, hosted by the Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum, was attended by Pacific Leaders, philanthropists, and private sector and non-profit sector representatives.

In his address, Prime Minister Rabuka acknowledged that effective conservation will require enhanced cooperation among coastal states and thanked Bloomberg Philanthropies for supporting Fiji in domesticating the Treaty.

“Fiji ratified the BBNJ Treaty on 09 June 2025 and it will be entered into force in 2026. We acknowledge that conservation efforts will require enhanced cooperation as coastal states work towards implementing the Agreement,” he stated.

Further, PM Rabuka highlighted Fiji’s National Ocean Policy (NOP) as the country’s sustainable ocean plan—committing to manage 100% of Fiji’s waters and designate 30% as marine protected areas by 2030.

“Fiji has applied an ecosystem-based approach to ensure the NOP considers the health, productivity, and resilience of ocean ecosystems through marine spatial planning,” he said.

“Fiji also recognises that ocean conservation goals require an inclusive process involving indigenous and local communities, faith-based organisations, scientific bodies, and more importantly, political will.”

At present, Fiji has over 400 Locally-Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), which speaks to the role of indigenous peoples and local communities in taking ownership in managing their marine resources, promoting sustainable practices and improving livelihoods.

PM Rabuka emphasised the importance of marine scientific research to strengthen data-driven ocean management, while acknowledging the BBNJ Treaty’s role in ensuring fair access and ownership of such information.

In his concluding remarks, the Prime Minister drew attention to the recently-endorsed Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration, a shared regional vision to safeguard oceans through peaceful, cooperative, and ecologically sound practices tailored to Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

“We look forward to collaborating with our partners like the Bloomberg philanthropists for tangible footprints on ocean governance and sustainability that best serve our interest now and generations after us.”

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