Rick Houenipwela urges OACPS reforms, stronger support for Pacific priorities and Small Island Developing States
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Hon. Rick Houenipwela, delivered a key address on behalf of Pacific member states at the 121st Session of the OACPS Council of Ministers meeting.
Addressing the assembly under Agenda Item 10, Minister Houenipwela stressed that while great distances and limited administrative resources make physical attendance from the Pacific difficult, the region’s dedication to the OACPS remains steadfast.
He called on the organization to modernize its structure to better support the distinct vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
“Our collective voice is most powerful when we translate unified diplomacy into actual, practical results,” noted Minister Houenipwela. “The Pacific wants a streamlined, effective OACPS that channels its energy where joint action truly matters.”
In his remarks, Hon. Houenipwela highlighted the Pacific’s Strategic Priorities – The Pacific’s 4-point plan are:
- Activating the Malabo Declaration
While acknowledging progress on the Malabo Declaration, Pacific SIDS are calling for a streamlined, budgeted, and highly focused execution plan. In particular, to prevent duplication of efforts, the OACPS should consider concentrating on:
- Climate & Resilience: Utilizing the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI) and leveraging the regional Pacific Resilience Facility to fund community climate defense projects without burdening nations with extra debt.
- The Blue Economy: Protecting maritime zones and fisheries while ensuring sustainable economic benefits from critical ocean minerals.
- Regional Connectivity: Solving persistent bottlenecks in digital networks and shipping routes.
- Operationalizing the Samoa Agreement
Minister Houenipwela stressed that members should prioritized the immediate implementation of the historic Samoa Agreement from a temporary framework to active, targeted outcome daily operations. The Pacific region seeks:
- An official, scheduled timeline for the first OACPS–EU Joint Council.
- The immediate launch of the Pacific Regional Protocol and its respective bodies, working in tandem with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF).
- Making Samoa Agreement updates a permanent fixture on the Council’s agenda to shift the relationship with Europe from a standard donor-recipient model to a balanced, strategic partnership.
- Balanced Member Fees and Safeguarding Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
Regarding the long-term financial health of the OACPS, the Pacific agrees with reviewing member contributions but urges a consensus-based approach:
- Protective Safeguards: The region requests detailed country-specific simulations to evaluate how fee changes will affect the smallest island member states, and as such ensuring protective financial buffers are in place.
- Internal Oversight: The Pacific supports the Secretariat’s ongoing work to tighten internal spending, improve audit responses, and enforce stricter financial controls.
- Defending Critical Trade Arrangements
The Minister stated that external trade policies can jeopardize fragile island economies. Specifically, he alluded to the United Kingdom’s decision to suspend tariffs on imported tuna, a measure that threatens to undercut the competitive trade advantages enjoyed by Pacific seafood processors. As such, Minister Houenipwela urges the OACPS Secretariat and its Geneva office to coordinate a swift, defensive response for affected states.
Hon. Houenipwela conveyed that the Pacific looks forward to welcoming the OACPS Secretary-General H.E. Mr. Moussa S. Batraki to the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting in Palau in early Sept 2026. This visit would be viewed as an ideal opportunity to align the organization’s high-level reform plans directly with Pacific regional cooperation leadership.
Hon. Houenipwela concluded by reaffirming the Pacific’s continued commitment to contributing to building a financial stable, politically influential OACPS that brings real, practical and measurable value to all its members.
—MFAET PRESS RELEASE
