The much anticipated Honiara Summit is now underway after it was officially opened this morning at the Friendship Hall in Honiara.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele officially opened the event bringing all the regional leaders together.
The theme for the event is: ‘Iumi tugeda delivering on SDG 14.4: Achieving Sustainable Fisheries.’
It focuses on meaningful action and innovation towards achieving SDG14: Life Below Water with a dedicated focus on the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources for our sustainable development.
Speaking at the opening, PM Manele said, with vast areas of ocean, within their respective jurisdictions, limited capacity and competition for access to fish, it is important that everyone must work collectively in the management of fish stocks.
He further urged all for Forum members to continue their collective efforts to finalize all remaining maritime zones and claims and reaffirm the commitment of Pacific Islands leaders as expressed in 2021.
The opening ceremony was a colourful one which showcased the cultural diversity of the Solomons.
As part of the Guadalcanal’s Tatalonga [welcome] ceremony Paramount Chief of Tandai, Peter Araiasi, presented a traditional chupu, which was received on behalf of the delegates by the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Hon. James Marape who arrived this morning.
Guadalcanal Province Premier Willie Atu after the presentation formally welcomed the delegates by formally handing over the chupu to Hon. Marape, who expressed gratitude to the people of Guadalcanal and other provinces.
Honiara is located on Guadalcanal.
At the welcome ceremony each delegate was presented with a traditional necklace as a symbolic gift.
Each representatives from the nine provinces which included—a male and female also took the stage to proudly showcase their province’s unique features and history.
Live performances from various provincial cultural groups were also featured at the opening ceremony which added flavour to the opening ceremony.
The Summit aims to address the challenges and opportunities in managing the health of the world’s oceans and fisheries.
Themed: “Iumi Tugeda: Delivery on SDG 14.4: Achieving Sustainable Fisheries.” Prime Minister Manele emphasized the importance of the Summit for Solomon Islands, a Small Island Developing State with vast oceanic resources, where 98% of the nation’s territory consists of ocean.
Covering 1.6 million square kilometers of ocean, Solomon Islands relies heavily on sustainable fisheries for its economy, contributing approximately 6% of the country’s GDP and an annual average of 280 million dollars in revenue.
In his statement on Monday night to welcome the delegates Prime Minister Manele also highlighted the growing challenges posed by climate change, overfishing, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and pollution, all of which threaten global fish stocks.
“The Pacific is home to 58% of the world’s tuna catch, and we have been able to maintain healthy stocks of Albacore, Big Eye Tuna, Yellowfin, and Skipjack. We are eager to share our experiences and work together to ensure a sustainable and resilient future for all.”
Prime Minister Manele stressed that regional cooperation is vital, but global collaboration is essential to address pressing issues.
The Summit will run until Thursday this week.
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