Samoa participated in the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) held in Nice, France from 9 to 13 June 2025, where Prime Minister (caretaker) Hon. Fiame Naomi Mataʻafa delivered a series of statements highlighting the urgency of the global ocean crisis, the erosion of multilateral systems, and the need for stronger governance frameworks to support small island developing states.
Fiame led Samoa’s delegation to the conference, which was co-hosted by France and Costa Rica. The high-level event aimed to accelerate progress on Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. Samoa joined other large ocean states in advocating for a coordinated global response to threats facing marine ecosystems, including pollution, sea-level rise, overfishing, and deep-sea mineral extraction.
UNOC3 Plenary Address
In her address to the main plenary on 10 June, Fiame described the ocean emergency as multidimensional and interconnected, stating that the health of marine environments was under growing pressure from both climate change and human activity.
“We exist in a world of growing conflict, want, and crisis,” she said. “Without credible action by the international community, large ocean states face a future with no land and no usable ocean.”
Fiame criticised economic models that treat environmental degradation as economic growth, quoting UN Secretary-General António Guterres: “It is absurd that our measure of a country’s wealth rises when there is overfishing, cutting down of forests or burning of fossil fuels.”
She reaffirmed Samoa’s commitment to its Samoa Ocean Strategy, which pledges to protect 30% and sustainably manage 100% of Samoa’s ocean by 2030. Samoa also announced the legal adoption of its Marine Spatial Plan, which establishes nine new fully protected marine areas and integrates traditional community governance. Fiame also called for the timely ratification and implementation of the High Seas Treaty (BBNJ Agreement).
France-Pacific Leaders’ Summit
On the same day, Prime Minister Fiame participated in the 6th France-Pacific Leaders’ Summit, where she raised concerns about the weakening of multilateral structures and the need for coordinated maritime surveillance and international cooperation.
She emphasised the importance of UNCLOS, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, as the legal foundation for ocean governance and warned against countries operating outside established international frameworks.
Fiame called on France to support Pacific island nations through technical assistance, satellite surveillance, and financial support to strengthen ocean monitoring. She also suggested that the establishment of an Ocean Governance Authority may offer a practical mechanism for better coordination across jurisdictions and sectors.
Commonwealth Reception: From Apia to Action
Later that day, Samoa co-hosted a side event with the Commonwealth titled “From Apia to Action: Celebrating Progress, Implementing Change.” The event followed on from the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, adopted in Samoa in 2024 when the country hosted the first Commonwealth Leaders Meeting in the Pacific.
Fiame delivered the keynote address, describing the declaration as a clear signal of solidarity with the Blue Pacific and other small island states. The declaration committed Commonwealth countries to manage 100% of their ocean areas sustainably, support the preservation of maritime zones in the face of sea-level rise, and push for a legally binding treaty to tackle plastic pollution.
She also acknowledged the financial gap facing ocean-related SDG targets, noting that SDG14 remains the least funded globally, receiving just 0.01% of all SDG financing.
Bilateral Engagements
Samoa held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the conference, including with President Emmanuel Macron of France, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Austria, and the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic. Discussions focused on regional cooperation, the opening of the new French Embassy in Apia, ocean governance, and support for Samoa’s international initiatives.
Throughout the week, Samoa consistently called for fairness, sustainability, and respect for international law in the governance of the world’s oceans. “Samoa can do its part,” said Fiame, “but much of our challenge lies with the users and extractors far beyond our shores. It is not too late to protect what we have—with determination and tenacity.”
