BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
With the 2030 deadline fast approaching, the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, should be seen as a turning point for ocean conservation and sustainability.
These were the words of Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries at the European Union (EU), when she delivered her remarks at the Honiara Summit on Tuesday this week.
Vitcheva emphasized that the Honiara Summit aims to design a European Ocean Pact, which will be presented at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice this June.
She explained that the European Ocean Pact will serve to align all EU ocean-related policies under a comprehensive and coherent framework.
“We all know the state of our ocean. It is time to confirm our political ambition, accelerate action, and deliver real results. We need decisive action, and for that, we need a single reference for the ocean in all our ocean-related policies,” Vitcheva stated.
She added that within this European Ocean Pact, there will be a global agenda and a strong international dimension to support leadership and action for a healthy and productive ocean.
“This must be reflected in the outcome declaration currently being negotiated. I now turn to political leaders, prime ministers, and ministers—please give a bold mandate to your negotiators for this declaration.
This declaration must embody ambition for ocean and climate action, conservation, and the sustainable use of marine resources. It must support the swift ratification of the BBNJ Agreement, the protection of marine biodiversity, and the establishment of a legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution—everything that concerns the ocean,”* she urged.
Vitcheva reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to the Pacific, stating that the EU remains a reliable partner with no hidden agenda, dedicated to addressing shared challenges faced by Pacific Island Countries (PICs).
“Our ability to make the UN Ocean Conference in Nice a success depends on us. Partnership is key in this critical time. What we discussed here today is about our lives, well-being, prosperity, and economy. Our security cannot be ensured without a healthy ocean,” she stressed.
She highlighted the Pacific’s vulnerability to climate change, noting that partnerships are at the core of the EU’s action plan.
“We must work together. Strong partnerships will be the key to making SDG 14 a success. And we are walking the talk,” she said.
The Samoa Agreement and Ocean Cooperation
Vitcheva pointed to the Samoa Agreement framework as a clear demonstration of the EU’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We represent 1.5 billion people. If we stand united, we will be hard to ignore in multilateral forums. This also applies to ocean protection,” she said.
She further noted that the EU and Pacific states have agreed to join forces on key issues such as ensuring sustainable fisheries, protecting marine biodiversity, and fighting climate change.
“The EU is not just adhering to the Paris Agreement—we have the Green Deal, which ensures that our continent will be carbon neutral by 2050.
Because there was a pledge here to assist you, we remain reliable and committed. In line with this, we are now preparing the second Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership, valued at €20 million, to support the Pacific in achieving its goals under the Pacific Blue Strategy,” she concluded.
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