Indian Council of World Affairs

Ladies and Gentlemen

I extend to you all a very Good Evening.

Introduction

1.0  It is my distinct honour to be here in Delhi and make some remarks on the Ocean of Peace concept of which I am the principal advocate. I do this in consideration of the vast and inter-connected expanse of our Blue Pacific continent and its multifaceted impact on the region and beyond.

2.0  Whilst our island states might be small and scattered in the Pacific Ocean, collectively we have sovereign rights over 32 million square kilometres of the Blue Pacific. This area is only slightly smaller than the combined land areas of Russia, China and the United States.

3.0  Yet, Pacific peoples have remained resilient. We are united by a shared identity and a deep guardianship of our ocean. This resilience and unity inspire the Ocean of Peace concept and its vision for the future.

Blue Pacific Continent

4.0  Considering the collective area of the Blue Pacific, its significant Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the geo-strategic importance of our region, I continue to passionately advocate the Ocean of Peace concept for the future security and prosperity of our region and beyond.

5.0  When considering this future outlook, we must also reflect on our rich history and unique heritage. Our forebears journeyed into the unknown some 3,000 years ago, in great outrigger canoes, steered by brilliant navigators. These pioneers sailed infinite miles month after month, finally settling on the islands and atolls they discovered.

6.0  It remains one of the most remarkable migrations of a people, a testimony of human endurance, fortitude and achievement. We are a people who are at one with the sea and the land, creating a civilization that is still flourishing today.

7.0  It would be remiss of me not to mention a very important figure from history, Ferdinand Magellan, the famed Portuguese navigator who sailed across the Pacific Ocean in 1522. This marked the era of early European discovery in our Blue Pacific.

8.0  Magellan stands out because he bestowed the name on our aquatic continent which still remains today, the “Pacific” which means peaceful.

9.0  The waters that Megellan traversed were calm at the time. However, the waters of the Pacific have not always been this way.

Geo-Political Rivalry

10.0  The Blue Pacific has been a theatre for external wars, it has been treated as a testing ground for the most dangerous weapons, it has endured catastrophic calamities caused by climate change, and its rich resources exploited by many. This is the current reality of the Blue Pacific.

11.0  Recognizing these security dynamics, in September 2024 Fiji launched its inaugural Foreign Policy White Paper, which carefully articulates that our most significant security threat lies in the prospect of a wider region which is riven by division, insecurity and instability.

12.0  Considering these dynamics, the most significant contribution Fiji can make to a state of strategic equilibrium in the broader Indo-Pacific, is to focus on the challenge of peace and security in our own Pacific neighborhood.

13.0  This is a particular challenge that as Prime Minister, I feel great responsibility for. I must ensure that the sovereignty, security, and prosperity of Fiji is never compromised, whilst balancing the contributions that we can make to the region. I reiterate that our strong commitment to regional security is the cornerstone of the Ocean of Peace concept.

14.0  In this vein, I am greatly concerned about the geo-strategic competition that is before the Blue Pacific, which has been further accelerated by the ongoing international conflicts. We live in a time where there is growing economic uncertainty throughout the world, and that is felt keenly in our geographically dispersed Pacific states. The global rules-based international order has been tested to its limits and multilateralism is eroding in the face of prolonged conflicts and humanitarian catastrophes.

15.0  Further exacerbating this situation is the existential threat posed by the impacts of climate change – rising sea levels, increasingly severe weather events, and changing ecosystems. These threaten our ways of life and our very existence in the Blue Pacific.

Ocean of Peace Concept

16.0  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 a Pacific approach to security, stability and prosperity. We are stronger when we stand together.

17.0  At the Pacific Islands Forum in Rarotonga in 2023, I proposed that regional leaders agree on a set of principles that embed peace as the cornerstone of our individual and collective policies.

18.0  Please allow me to elaborate on the Ocean of Peace concept. At the core of the concept is a shared aspiration, rooted in our traditions and guided by a collective commitment to regional cooperation and stability. It reaffirms our commitment to ensuring our people can lead free, healthy and productive lives.

19.0  The Ocean of Peace concept is a signal that we seek a region in which strategic competition is managed; where stability is the touchstone of regional relationships; and where coercion is checked. The concept reflects my belief that a united region is a strong region: that when we speak with one voice, our power is magnified.

20.0  The concept also calls for us to remain committed to peaceful development, because lasting peace across our countries requires a careful balance between national security and sustainable development. This elusive peace is not something achieved through our police or security forces alone. It also requires families and communities, societies and nations that are built on the foundations of harmony, stability, satisfaction with life and freedom from want and fear.

Ocean of Peace Principles

21.0  The Ocean of Peace stands on core principles of the concept which primarily draws on foundational tenets of Pacific regionalism. It is our opportunity to weave the threads of our Pacific past with our vision for our Pacific future. The Ocean of Peace concept is based on the following twelve principles: 

1. A shared commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes based on the Pacific Way.
2. Respect for international law and norms. We recall the United Nations’ General Assembly Declaration on the Rights of People to Peace, that was adopted on 12 November 1984.
3. Rejection of coercion as a means to achieve security, economic or political advantage.
4. The freedom to determine our own security and strategic policies.
5. Upholding freedom of navigation and overflight.
6. A commitment to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
7. Protecting the maritime environment.
8. A recognition that common challenges require common solutions.
9. Respect for human rights.
10. Support for regional institutions.
11. Calling on external actors to champion rules of responsible, peaceful, deconflicting behaviour; and
12. Bringing our people together.

22.0  These principles are based on the Pacific Way. They also offer an opportunity for us to set out how we expect those from outside the region to respect our approaches and participate with us. This means respect for the Pacific way. Respect for norms and law, without coercion.

23.0  Based on these principles, the concept would serve to strengthen our unity and elevate the international visibility of our islands, which will accelerate increased opportunities for tourism, investment, aid and development.

24.0  By upholding these principles, we strengthen Pacific unity, raise our international profile, and create new opportunities for tourism, trade, investment, and development.

25.0  In this effort, India is an important partner. Bilaterally, India’s support in areas like digital solutions, healthcare, renewable energy, education, and skills development helps Fiji build resilience and prosperity for our people.

26.0  Multilaterally, India can amplify Fiji’s voice at the United Nations and other international forums, supporting our calls for decisive climate action, nuclear non-proliferation, and a rules-based international order under the UN Charter and United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

27.0  Together, Fiji and India can work to ensure that the vision of the Pacific as an Ocean of Peace becomes a reality - not only for our region but as a contribution to global peace and stability.

Closing

28.0  In closing, I believe that through the Ocean of Peace concept, there are opportunities to share the Pacific Way with the global audience.

29.0  The implementation of the Ocean of Peace concept is a shared endeavor involving all of us, from the Pacific, Indo-Pacific and beyond. We must work together to safeguard our Blue Pacific, our Ocean of Peace, for this generation and those to come.

30.0  Last week the draft Ocean of Peace Declaration has passed through integral processes of our Pacific Islands Forum i.e. through the Senior Officials Meeting and the Forum Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Now the draft Declaration is ready to be tabled for the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ consideration at their Meeting next month in the Solomon Islands.

31.0  I look forward to the support of the Government of the Republic of India in the realization of the Ocean of Peace concept and, through it, in what we can do together for world peace, security and the dignity of humankind.

Vinaka vakalevu and Dhanyabaad

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