21 June 2023

Nuku’alofa- The Honourale Prime Minister, Hu’akavameiliku, was guest of honour at the Fifth P-SIDS Regional and Capacity Development workshop and High Level Panel on Charting a course for responsible and sustainable management of seabed minerals of the Blue Pacific Continent at the Tanoa International Dateline Hotel in Nuku’alofa this morning.

The four-day workshop draws participants from Pacific Islands including the Hon Filimoni Vosarogo, Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources of Fiji; Hon Delvin Oneil Thoma, Deputy Minister on RONPHOS of Nauru; and His Excellency Mr. Michael W. Lodge, Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority.

It is organised by the ISA and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) with the support of the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) as part of the Abyssal Initiative for Blue Growth on Equitable sharing of benefits from activities in the area.

Prime Minister Hon Hu’akavameiliku told participants and guests that this panel will be an opportunity to have fruitful discussions on ways in which the Pacific can collectively ensure the responsible and sustainable management of the mineral wealth, which lies within our respective exclusive economic zones and the Area.

“A challenge which is important for all Pacific Islands and their peoples,” he told guests.

He reminded participants that the Pacific is made up of large ocean states and continues to be vital to our lives and livelihoods.

“However, our knowledge and traditions remain confined to near-shore areas, fisheries, or navigation. The seabed and its minerals remain one of the unknowns to us. This is due to the lack of resources, and access to technology, that would reach the deep depths and the seabed in the Pacific Ocean.”

The Pacific people relies on development partners to assist in assessing the viability of minerals which lies across the ocean floors, to develop necessary regulatory framework and to build capacities to ensure proper and informed decision making in the administration and management of seabed minerals.

The capacity development of Pacific peoples is heavily reliant on the existence and the role of the International Seabed Authority pursuant to Part XI of the Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“As members of the Convention, we bestowed the responsibility on this organization to set the standards for the exploitation of mineral resources in the Area for the benefit of humanity as a whole. These standards will, in turn, inform the development of our regulatory framework for activities undertaken within our exclusive economic zones.”

He recalled the effort of the late Ambassador, His Excellency Arvid Pardo, who urged delegates to consider the resources of the oceans beyond national jurisdiction as “the common heritage of mankind”.

“His quest to protect the oceans from arbitrary appropriation and his call for a regime to efficiently administer their resources created the necessary momentum and provided “the unique opportunity to lay solid foundations for a peaceful and increasingly prosperous future for all peoples”.

“I call your attention to his call for a “solid foundation” as a basis for a peaceful and increasingly prosperous future for all peoples.”

He stated “that to be that solid foundation demands to include everybody, and not just the wealthy, powerful and capable and we are called to ensure the realization of a just and equitable international economic order which takes into account the interests and needs of humanity as a whole”.

“The 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent emphasizes the need for us to accelerate economic growth aspirations by investing in our shared expertise to quantify and determine the full value of our people, oceanic and land-based natural resources; secure a future for our people, we will deepen our collective responsibility and accountability for the stewardship of the Blue Pacific Continent and…strengthen our ownership and management of our resources; and protect our ocean and environment.”

He emphasized that to be able to act as effective stewards, we need access to the necessary knowledge and the capacities for a proper and responsible management of seabed minerals.

This is made possible through the legal framework set out under Part XI of the Convention and the Mining Code.

“As a member of the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and as a sponsoring State, the Kingdom of Tonga is committed to supporting the mandate and work of ISA as assigned by UNCLOS and the 1994 Implementation Agreement, particularly as it relates to the stewardship of the Area and its resources for the benefit of humankind as a whole. “