Pacific Island leaders have officially endorsed the Ocean of Peace Declaration, a historic step toward mooted by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
The signing in Honiara last night affirmed the region as a zone of peace, free from conflict, coercion, and external rivalry.
The declaration has now become the collective commitment of the Blue Pacific to uphold peace, respect, and cooperation across its vast ocean territories.
“It is a reminder that the Pacific must always remain a zone of peace,” Prime Minister Rabuka told leaders in his official address.
“The Ocean of Peace is not only about geography. It’s a standard of behaviour, a way we choose to live and lead.”
Mr Rabuka described the two-year consultation process as a reflection of Pacific maturity, noting that the journey from the idea’s conception on 16 August 2023 to its endorsement on 10 September 2025 involved dialogue, consensus-building, and shared leadership across the region.
“Today, Pacific Leaders have spoken with clarity and authority, We have declared that our home, the Blue Pacific Continent, is an Ocean of Peace.”
“Through this, we have recognised the right of our people to peace. It demands a certain standard of behaviour, one that embraces the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. Unity is fundamental. Peace is a virtue we must live by.”
The initiative also sets out a values-based approach to development, security, and diplomacy.
“Our silence must never be misread for emptiness or weakness,” Mr Rabuka added.
“While we might be small, our determination, and our faith in the God we serve, is the very source of our being and resolve.”
