Honiara, Solomon Islands - February 27, 2025 - The Pacific-European Union Marine Partnership (PEUMP) has been granted an extension until September 1, 2025, ensuring continued support for Pacific Island nations in addressing critical marine and fisheries challenges.
The extension agreement was formalised at the Honiara Summit on Wednesday in the Solomon Islands by the European Union, Government of Sweden, Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Funded by the European Union (EUR 35 million) and the Government of Sweden (EUR 10 million), PEUMP has played a vital role since inception in 2018 in promoting sustainable management and sound ocean governance across the Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
The European Union Ambassador to the Pacific highlighted the importance of completing ongoing initiatives:
"This extension provides the necessary time to finalise key activities already underway across the Pacific," said Ambassador Barbara Plinkert. "It reflects our commitment to ensuring that planned activities deliver their intended benefits to Pacific communities before the programme concludes."
Speaking on behalf of the Pacific Community, Director General Dr. Stuart Minchin emphasised the practical value of the extension:
"This extension gives us the time needed to finalise capacity-building activities with our member countries. It allows for proper handover of tools and knowledge that Pacific nations can continue using well beyond the programme's conclusion in September."
The extension will enable the completion of fisheries management, fisheries development and fisheries operations related activities, as noted by FFA Director General, Mr. Noan Pakop.
"The additional months until September will allow us time to properly complete several critical initiatives that support sustainable fisheries management. This short but important extension guarantees that we deliver meaningful outcomes for FFA members through the investments already made,” said Mr. Pakop.
Environmental protection initiatives will also benefit from the extended timeframe, according to SPREP:
"This provides us with additional time to complete several community-based conservation activities that were in their final stages. This ensures the full value of these initiatives can be realised for Pacific communities and marine ecosystems," SPREP Director General, Mr Sefanaia Nawadra said.
The Pacific Community (SPC), Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), and Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) will use these final months to complete ongoing activities. This will allow time for the transition and hand-over of commissioned initiatives covering sustainable fisheries management, marine conservation and capacity building, to local ownership under this phase of the PEUMP programme.
The work aligns with multiple Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water) through reducing illegal fishing and conserving marine biodiversity; SDG 5 (Gender Equality) through promoting inclusive opportunities for women in fisheries management; SDG 4 (Quality Education) through building regional capacity and training; and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through facilitating policy dialogues that strengthen international cooperation for sustainable development.
The EUR 45 million PEUMP programme promotes sustainable management and sound ocean governance for food security and economic growth, while addressing climate change resilience and conservation of marine biodiversity. It follows a comprehensive approach, integrating issues related oceanic fisheries, coastal fisheries, community development, marine conservation and capacity building under one single regional action.
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