Statement from Pacific Elders' Voice on the Future of Pacific Regional Security

Pacific peace has never meant simply the absence of conflict. It is the presence of justice, dignity, respect and balance. It is the protection of our people, our ocean, our cultures and the inheritance we leave to future generations. For Pacific peoples, peace is inseparable from sovereignty, stewardship, climate justice and our collective responsibility to one another.

As Pacific Elders, we have witnessed the evolution of Pacific regionalism over many decades. We have seen our institutions at their strongest when they have upheld the equal sovereignty and self-determination of every Pacific nation, strengthened consensus, and placed the collective interests of our Blue Pacific above the competing interests of external powers. Pacific regionalism has never been about surrendering sovereignty. It has been about sovereign nations choosing to act together in pursuit of common purpose.

Today we believe the region stands at an important crossroads.

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Read the full statement attached here