5 September 2025, Apia – The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, members and partners continue to collaborate to strengthen the Noumea Convention as the major multilateral umbrella agreement in the Pacific region for the protection of natural resources and the environment.
At the convening of the 18th Conference of the Parties Meeting to the Noumea Convention in Apia, the Chair of the Meeting, Mr Bryan Star, Director of Nauru’s Department of Environment, Management and Agriculture (DEMA), said the gathering in Samoa is a critical opportunity to strengthen the Noumea Convention to assist Pacific communities at the forefront of the impacts of the triple planetary crises.
“Nauru is pleased to chair this meeting,” Mr Star said.
“The Noumea Convention is extremely important to the work of SPREP as the regional organisation established by the Governments and Administrations of the Pacific charged with protecting and managing the environment and natural resources and I look forward to our discussions on how we can progress this work.”
Also known as the SPREP Convention, the Noumea Convention represents the legal framework of the Action Plan for managing the Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific adopted in 1982 on behalf of the South Pacific Conference on Human Environment.
Seven of 12 contracting parties to the Noumea Convention were represented in Apia. They are Australia, Cook Islands, France, Republic of Marshall Islands, Nauru, New Zealand and Samoa.
The 18th Conference of the Parties Meeting to the Noumea Convention was opened by SPREP Deputy Director General, Ms Easter Chu Shing, who highlighted the steady progress made since the 17th Noumea COP.
This includes the development of the Noumea Workplan and Budget to implement the recommendations under the 2021 Review of the Convention. The Workplan and Budget aim to elevate the work of the Convention, to enhance awareness and implementation, and to strengthen regional cooperation in safeguarding our environment.
“Critical to this Workplan are the development of a Communications Plan and a Finance Strategy. Both will be pivotal in raising the visibility of the Convention and ensuring its long-term sustainability,” said Ms Chu Shing.
“We wish to acknowledge with appreciation the support of Australia in the implementation of the Workplan which has greatly contributed to advancing our shared goals and objectives.
“At the same time, we encourage and welcome financial contributions and support from all our partners to help us put our goals into action and ensure that the Noumea Convention continues to deliver concrete results.”
Another key recommendation from the 2021 Review calls for the expansion of membership.
“We continue to encourage those countries who have yet to become Parties to do so, and the Secretariat has been actively supporting this effort. We are encouraged that Tuvalu has expressed its intention to become a Party, with assistance provided by the Secretariat in the depository process with PIFs,” said Ms Chu Shing.
Next week, SPREP’s Legal Services and Governing Bodies Department will be in Tuvalu to build the capacity of Government officials to implement the Noumea Convention and other multilateral environmental agreements.
Added Ms Chu Shing: “These steps reflect our collective commitment to ensuring that the Noumea Convention remains a strong and effective framework for regional cooperation. With your continued support, I am confident that together we can build on this momentum and translate our commitments into tangible action.”
The 18th Conference of the Parties Meeting to the Noumea Convention, held simultaneously with the Waigani Convention meeting, culminates the week of the Thirty second SPREP Meeting of Officials (SM32) taking place at Sheraton Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows in Samoa, from 1-5 September.
Guided by the theme “Sustaining our Pacific Environment in Harmony with our Cultures”, the SM32 and associated meetings bring together SPREP Members to discuss strategic issues pertaining to the organisation, and to approve the 2026-2027 Work Programme and Budget.
In our efforts to fulfil our vision of ‘a resilient Pacific environment, sustaining our livelihoods and natural heritage in harmony with our cultures’, SPREP is extremely grateful to our valued Members, partners, donors, our CROP family, and stakeholders.