by Ronald Toito’ona
African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Leaders in the Pacific opened their meeting in Honiara yesterday with strong calls for solidarity, sharper advocacy, and deeper partnerships to advance Pacific priorities under the new Samoa Agreement and in the face of mounting global challenges.
In his opening address, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, the newly installed Chair of the Pacific ACP (PACP), welcomed leaders and acknowledged Tonga’s leadership as outgoing Chair.
He highlighted key achievements under Tonga’s stewardship, including the 2023 signing of the Samoa Agreement, the elevation of Pacific climate diplomacy at COP28 and COP29, and the progress of the Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF), the region’s first Pacific-led financing mechanism for resilience.
“These are the legacies of our Forum Leaders’ collective wisdom, all of which will serve our Blue Pacific region for generations to come,” PM Manele said.
Looking ahead, Manele urged unity in seizing opportunities such as the upcoming appointment of a Pacific Assistant Secretary-General at the OACPS Secretariat, a post he described as vital for “visibility and a firmer hand in shaping decisions in Brussels that affect our region’s financing, governance, and implementation of the Samoa Agreement.”
He also stressed urgency on climate action, calling for a “new cohort of Climate Champions” to lead advocacy toward COP30 and beyond, while reaffirming the Pacific’s resolve to co-host COP31 with Australia.
“For the Pacific, financing is not just about numbers — it is about equity, justice and fairness,” Manele added.
PIF Secretary General, Baron Waqa, reinforced these priorities in his welcome remarks, warning that climate disasters already cost Pacific economies between 6–9% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually.
“This is not just a number — it represents homes and livelihoods destroyed, schools closed, damaged infrastructures, and futures disrupted,” Waqa said.
Waqa called for stronger institutions, sharper diplomacy, and deeper partnerships to ensure the Samoa Agreement delivers real results.
He stressed the importance of securing the Assistant Secretary-General post for the Pacific and raised concerns about limited EU financing under the NDICI Global Europe programme.
“Of this vast envelope of 79.5 billion euros, the Pacific’s share is less than 200 million euros,” he noted.
“Let us be frank: this is not proportionate to the scale of our challenges or commitments made.”
Both leaders also stressed that the strength of the Pacific lies in solidarity.
“Today’s meeting is about more than procedures. It is about charting a way forward together,” PM Manele declared.
“If we succeed, we will reaffirm the Pacific not as a bystander to global change, but as a confident, resilient, and future-ready force shaping the world around us,” Waqa added.
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