The ocean is Naoero’s lifeline and central to the economy – “the goal is clear, keep our people safe and safeguard our way of life”, is the message delivered by Minister for Climate Change and National Resilience, Hon Delvin Thoma, at the Island States Ocean Summit in Japan.
Hon. Delvin O’neil Thoma engaged in a bilateral meeting with Mr Yōhei Sasakawa, Chairman of the Island States Ocean Summit and son of Ryoichu Sasakawa, the founder of the Nippon Foundation at the Summit in Tokyo. This engagement and exchange of productive discussions focused on strengthening bilateral collaboration to address Naoero’s critical vulnerabilities regarding climate impacts on its land, coastlines, and marine ecosystems. Moving forward, Japan, the Nippon Foundation, and Naoero will work side by side to implement targeted solutions that protects Naoero’s coastal land and oceanic coastal fisheries from erosion, sea-level rise and to alleviate its unique environmental and geographical constraints.
Minister Thoma pointed out three priorities for Naoero at the summit – the need for integrated ocean management; its commitment to keeping ocean resources productive, sustainable and protected from illegal fishing with the help of regional cooperation; and investing in local personnel with ocean-specific training.
Minister Thoma underscored that Naoero has a legitimate interest in considering future economic opportunities linked to the ocean, highlighting that small island states should have the space to weigh their development options honestly, while protecting the ocean their future depends on.