Prime Minister Hon. James Marape of Papua New Guinea today reaffirmed his commitment to the rebuilding of Pacific Island nations in the face of climate change and rising sea levels. Speaking at the 53rd Pacific Island Forum (PIF) in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, Prime Minister Marape emphasised the importance of resilience and sustainability over climate migration for nations significantly affected by these environmental challenges.
During his address to the Forum, which was attended by leaders of 18 member countries, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister Marape reiterated his stance on climate action, building upon discussions from recent international meetings.
“For Papua New Guinea, we do not want to talk about climate migration. Instead, we must focus on rebuilding our islands through land reclamation and desalination efforts,” said Prime Minister Marape.
“Our approach is about strengthening our resilience, not abandoning our heritage.”
The theme of this year’s PIF Leaders Meeting, “A Transformed and Resilient Pasifika: Building Better Now,” resonated strongly with Prime Minister Marape’s vision for the Pacific. He highlighted the importance of sustainability, resilience, and integrated development as key elements of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.
“In an increasingly crowded and complex global environment, where various state and non- state actors are intensifying their engagement with our region, it is crucial for the Pacific to maintain leadership and ownership of our regional mechanisms. This requires our collective efforts to enhance our engagement, integration, and coordination both within and beyond our region,” Prime Minister Marape added.
Prime Minister Marape also underscored the economic potential of the Pacific’s marine resources, advocating for a shift from reliance on external aid to developing sustainable economic resilience.
“Economic resilience is the key to achieving our region’s aspirations. We must move beyond the traditional dependence on aid and grants and focus on ‘aid for trade.’ We need our development partners to invest in adding value to our fisheries and marine resources,” he stated.
He further elaborated on Papua New Guinea’s efforts to maximise the benefits of its marine resources, referencing the ongoing work by the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) in implementing the East New Britain Initiative (ENBi).
“My government, through the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), has initiated significant reforms aimed at transforming Papua New Guinea’s fisheries sector into a globally competitive, diversified,and value-adding industry. These efforts will also enhance domestic market obligations and ensure food security,” Prime Minister Marape said.
He extended an offer to Pacific Island Countries (PICs) to utilise land in Papua New Guinea for the establishment of fisheries canneries, encouraging regional collaboration in processing and exporting finished products under their own brands.
“This initiative can be expanded to other sectors such as forestry, tourism, energy, and security, requiring cooperative approaches by our member countries and the Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP),” concluded Prime Minister Marape.