11 June 2025, Nice France - On the margins of the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice France, Pacific leaders convened for the 6th France- Pacific Summit hosted by the President of the Republic of France, His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, on Tuesday.
Pacific Islands countries and territories were represented by Leaders from the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Wallis and Futuna.
Also represented were Australia, Fiji, Nauru, New Zealand, Tonga and Vanuatu.
The discussions focussed on strengthening collaboration on climate action, ocean governance and regional peace and security.
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), providing support to Pacific delegations at UNOC3 as part of the One CROP support, was represented at the meeting.
Head of SPREP Delegation to UNOC3 and Director of Environmental Governance, Mr Jope Davetanivalu, addressed the Summit. He extended SPREP’s gratitude to the Government of France, both a valued Member and Partner of the Secretariat, for their continued leadership and support for the ongoing work to ensure the Pacific environment sustains our livelihoods and natural heritage in harmony with our cultures.
“Ocean is a key priority issue for SPREP, addressed through our Ocean Governance Framework as a coordination mechanism among our five programmes of work,” said Mr Davetanivalu.
He acknowledged specific collaborations with France such as in the area of Waste management and pollution control, through AFD-funded project Committing to Sustainable Waste Actions in the Pacific (SWAP).
He highlighted the longstanding collaboration and commitment to support the Nouméa Convention, our Regional Seas Convention in the Pacific region, and SPREP being a key implementing partner of the Kiwa Initiative on Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change Adaptation.
He also thanked France for the support through the Fonds Pacifique (Pacific Fund) across all SPREP programmes, supporting regional coordination mechanisms such as the Roundtables on nature conservation, climate change, and waste management and pollution control.
“As outlined in the Declaration from the 5th France-Oceania Summit, and in collaboration with French Ministries and Permanent representation in Nouméa, we are finalising a France-SPREP Partnership Agreement to deepen and sustain our collaboration. We hope to sign this agreement during the upcoming 32nd SPREP Meeting in September, and would be honored to have a French Minister at the Ministerial Segment, also to update our Members on key outcomes from UNOC3.”
The outcomes of the 6th France Oceania Summit will be released in due course.
The third UN Ocean Conference is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France, from 9 – 13 June 2025. The overarching theme of the Conference is “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the ocean”.
The Pacific Islands are represented by a strong contingent, which includes Leaders from the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, French Polynesia, Niue, Palau, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa and Tuvalu.
Also present and engaged are Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) is providing support to Pacific delegations as part of the One CROP support.
SPREP will provide more Pacific news from the UNOC2025. For further information on the UN Ocean Conference 2025, please visit: https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/ocean2025