Source: New Zealand Government
Kam na bane ni mauri, tēnā koutou katoa, and warm greetings to you all. It is a privilege to be here with you all today to discuss the issues affecting our region.
The Pacific Ocean is woven into our cultures and traditions. Ocean resources provide food and economic security in our region.
For Aotearoa New Zealand, the values of manaakitanga – kindness and care for our wider Pacific; whānau, kotahitanga – our shared aspirations for collective benefits; and importantly, kaitiakitanga – our responsibilities to the environment, guide our approach to the challenges facing our region.
We have a whakatauki that goes: He rau ringa e oti ai – which roughly translates to: Many hands make light work. And, while the challenges facing our region such as climate change are not light work, we know they require our collective effort.
We are proud to provide funding to SPC, with support from Australia, to implement the project ‘Sustainable Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture for Pacific Livelihoods, Food and Economic Security’.
This project includes drafting and implementing legal frameworks and policies to support existing traditional fisheries management; national capacity building in management and enforcement; and regional coordination to support the scaling up of community-based fisheries management practices.
Following the recent adoption of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent we now have our ambitions clearly set.
With this in mind, Aotearoa New Zealand remains committed to partnering with regional agencies and coordinating closely with other development partners to ensure the health of our ocean — Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa.
