by Georgina Maka’a
French Polynesia has been given the right to host the 10th Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministers Forum (PWWM) in 2026.
This came following the successful two-day 9th PWWM Forum that concluded yesterday in Honiara – attended by 11 ministers and three ministerial representatives from across the Pacific region.
In a signed communique, ministers agreed to convene the 10th PWWM Forum in 2026 in French Polynesia and tasked the Secretariat to work closely with members and partners to advance the forum outcomes and prepare a comprehensive update for consideration at the next meeting.
The communique outlines the need for resilient and reliable water and wastewater systems to support dignity and economic opportunity through education, health, and development targets.
Ministers emphasized commitment, collaboration, and action to advance Water Security and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) within Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders processes, and called for stronger partner support for national and regional frameworks to maximize impact.
They reaffirmed that access to safe and sustainable water and sanitation is fundamental to the wellbeing of Pacific peoples, community resilience, and sustainable development.
Ministers also stressed that water security and wastewater management are essential to climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction, human health, food and energy security, prosperity, and the protection of Pacific ecosystems, urging increased development partner support.
The communique highlighted the urgent need to elevate water and wastewater priorities on the regional agenda, including stronger links to PIF processes, to ensure sustained political commitment and action.
Ministers reiterated that water is not only an economic issue but a matter of security and a fundamental human right.
They emphasised the PWWM Forum’s role in informing PIF Leaders and processes about water and wastewater priorities, challenges, and needs, supporting efforts to raise water visibility at the highest political levels, including systematic reporting to the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders.
Ministers also recognised the importance of Pacific Island Leaders championing water security at national, regional, and global levels and encouraged ministers to work with Heads of Government to prioritise water in PIF Leaders’ deliberations, starting at the PIF Leaders’ Meeting in Honiara.
The Ministers stressed the need for robust governance and infrastructure to meet community expectations and to move away from the unsustainable status quo in water and wastewater services.
They also highlighted the interconnected nature of water security and the Pacific’s unique development challenges, calling for innovative funding, technology, and mechanisms, with sustained development-partner support.
They acknowledged the role of Pacific Water and Wastewater Utilities in delivering essential services and supported ongoing efforts by PWWA to strengthen utility performance through benchmarking, peer learning, and regional collaboration.
Representatives from American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Republic of Fiji, Kiribati, Republic of Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and the Republic of Vanuatu attended the forum.
PWWA and the Pacific Community (SPC) served as the forum secretariats, with support from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and development partners, including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, Australia (DFAT), and New Zealand (MFAT).