Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele underscored Solomon Islands’ leadership in advancing ocean conservation and sustainable development during a high-level roundtable at the 2025 Bloomberg Philanthropies Global Forum in New York.
The forum, held alongside the United Nations General Assembly, convenes world leaders, philanthropists and private sector representatives to explore solutions to pressing global challenges. Through discussions and side events, participants exchanged ideas, built partnerships and identified actionable solutions on issues including climate resilience, ocean governance and sustainable economic development.
During the roundtable at The Plaza Hotel, Manele shared Solomon Islands’ perspective on regional and global ocean governance. He pointed to the historic ratification of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, which reached its 60-country threshold this week and is expected to enter into force in early 2026.
While welcoming the milestone, he stressed that the treaty’s effectiveness will depend on being complemented by strong conservation and sustainable-use measures within national jurisdiction. He said only through this dual approach could the health and resilience of the world’s oceans be secured.
The Prime Minister also highlighted the Melanesian Ocean Reserve (MOR) initiative, a Solomon Islands-led effort integrating Indigenous knowledge with modern science to safeguard biodiversity and deliver sustainable economic benefits for Ocean Peoples.
“The BBNJ Agreement and regional initiatives like the Melanesian Ocean Reserve illustrate the growing momentum toward collaborative ocean governance. Solomon Islands remains committed to protecting our oceans for current and future generations,” Mr Manele said.
He also noted the importance of regional collaboration, philanthropy and innovative partnerships to implement ocean conservation strategies effectively.
Other leaders who joined the roundtable included Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka; Wesley Simina, President of the Federated States of Micronesia,; Feleti Teo, Prime Minister of Tuvalu, along with representatives from philanthropic and international organisations.
