Rabuka pushes Ocean of Peace as Blue Pacific seeks balance amid global tensions
Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka used a Sapru House lecture in New Delhi to warn that geostrategic competition in the Blue Pacific is being accelerated by ongoing global conflicts and widespread economic uncertainty. He stressed that the Pacific region faces climate-related existential threats and that the rules-based order is being tested as multilateralism comes under pressure.
In his remarks, Rabuka argued that the region’s security and development must be pursued together. “These threaten our ways of life and our very existence in the Blue Pacific. That brings me to what we can do as a Pacific family through the Ocean of Peace concept, which is founded on the Pacific way of dialogue, diplomacy, and consensus. I have always believed in the Pacific approach to security, to stability, and to prosperity. We are stronger when we stand together,” he said.
The Ocean of Peace concept, Rabuka explained, is a signal that the region should be managed in which strategic competition is kept in check, stability remains the touchstone of regional relationships, and coercion is restrained. He added that a united region is a stronger region and that speaking with one voice magnifies Pacific power, while peaceful development requires balancing national security with sustainable development.
Rabuka argues that true peace goes beyond police or security forces and depends on building families, communities, and nations on a foundation of harmony, stability, and freedom from want and fear. He reiterates that the Ocean of Peace is grounded in the core principles of Pacific regionalism.
Context from related efforts shows Rabuka’s long-standing emphasis on Pacific regionalism as the primary vehicle for security and resilience. At the recent Pacific Regional and National Security Conference in Suva, he described the Pacific as facing a “polycrisis”—a complex blend of climate change, economic instability, and transnational threats—that requires a unified regional response. Delegates discussed the Ocean of Peace Declaration, and Pacific leaders are closely watching developments ahead of the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in the Solomon Islands, where the declaration and its 12 guiding principles are set to shape regional security discourse. Baron Waqa, Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, echoed the call for collective action to strengthen trust and cohesion within Pacific communities.
Broader regional messaging also highlights that true security involves more than coercion or military means. Rabuka’s proposals align with the Boe Declaration framework, which expands the security agenda to human security, economic stability, health, housing, and climate resilience, underscoring that a united Pacific voice can better navigate globalization, defend its environments, and sustain development.
What this means for the Pacific
– A united Pacific stance is viewed as key to managing external geostrategic pressures while safeguarding regional ecosystems and economies.
– The Ocean of Peace Declaration, with its twelve guiding principles, aims to promote non-coercion, respect for international law, freedom of navigation and overflight, environmental protection, and peaceful coexistence.
– Leaders are preparing to discuss and potentially adopt the declaration at forthcoming regional gatherings, signaling a concerted push for regional resilience by 2050 and beyond.
– Observers see Rabuka’s approach as offering a hopeful path forward, balancing security needs with development and environmental stewardship in a region deeply vulnerable to climate impacts.
Summary
Rabuka’s New Delhi address reinforces a long-running Pacific strategy: unity, dialogue, and a shared commitment to peace and development as the region faces climate risks, rising geopolitical competition, and economic volatility. By elevating the Ocean of Peace and its guiding principles, Fiji and its Pacific partners aim to chart a course toward a stable, prosperous Blue Pacific through strengthened regional cooperation and collective action.
Editorial notes and suggested follow-up
– Include reactions from regional partners to Rabuka’s Sapru House remarks, including any responses from Forum members and partners in the Pacific Islands Forum.
– Track developments around the Ocean of Peace Declaration and the 12 guiding principles, especially any formal adoption at the Solomon Islands forum.
– Provide expert analysis on how the Zone of Peace and non-coercive security approaches might interact with external powers operating in the region.
– Consider a sidebar on climate resilience initiatives and how the Ocean of Peace framework could support cooperative projects in fisheries management, environmental protection, and disaster risk reduction.
This piece complements existing reporting on Pacific security conferences and Rabuka’s broader regional strategy, offering readers a cohesive view of how Pacific leaders are trying to balance security, development, and climate resilience in a changing global landscape.
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