The Secretary to the Prime Minister (SPM), Dr. Melchior Mataki has participated in the Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF), held from 7–8 June at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

In a statement from the Prime Minister’s Press Secretariat, the BEFF is a special finance-focused event held ahead of the main UNOC, bringing together governments, international organisations, private sector actors, and civil society to mobilise investment, innovation, and policy solutions for a resilient and sustainable blue economy.

Dr. Mataki said the discussions focused on how to scale finance for ocean conservation and blue economies.

“The ocean economy is worth several trillion dollars globally, yet less than 1% of that finance reaches ocean conservation. This highlights that SDG14 is underfunded and off track”.

He said that if governments are to turn this around, new and additional finance must be mobilised at a pace and scale that matches the vast financing gaps for ocean conservation.

Saturday’s plenary sessions addressed “Investing for Ocean Health, Preservation and Resilience” and “Financing a Regenerative and Sustainable Blue Economy.” These themes align with Solomon Islands’ call for greater access to ocean finance for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The BEFF continues on Sunday with plenary sessions on maritime transport decarbonisation, coastal infrastructure adaptation, and sustainable ocean governance and finance, concluding with official remarks from HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and invited Heads of State.

Following BEFF, the Solomon Islands delegation will participate in the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) from 9–13 June in Nice, France, where Solomon Islands will continue to advocate for urgent and sustained action under Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.