European development agencies and the EU have launched a package of new ocean-focused projects for the Pacific worth about 85 million Fijian dollars (€33 million).
The initiatives were announced jointly by Germany’s development agency GIZ, the EU Delegation to the Pacific and the French Development Agency (AFD), the European External Action Service (EEAS) announced on Monday.
The funding is being delivered under a “Team Europe” approach — a framework that groups EU and member state support to coordinate projects in partner regions.
The programmes will focus on ocean governance, coastal fisheries and the “blue economy”, a term used for ocean-based industries and livelihoods, including community-led fisheries management.
They were launched during a workshop in the Pacific titled "Navigating the Blue Pacific: European Initiatives for the Blue Economy," which brought together Pacific Island countries and territories, regional organisations, research institutions and practitioners.
Projects and participating countries
One of the new programmes is P+ Blue Economy — Pacific Blue Economies: Strengthening Integrated Ocean’s Governance for Increased Resilience, backed by 12.9 million Fijian dollars (€5 million) and led by GIZ, the statement said.
That project will work with the governments of Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu on cross-sector capacity for “blue economy” planning, and on coastal fisheries data and venture-building projects.
AFD launched a Pacific Ocean Initiative worth 20.5 million Fijian dollars (€8 million) to strengthen regional and local capacity for managing marine and coastal resources.
The EU is also launching phase two of its Pacific – EU Marine Partnership Programme (PEUMP), budgeted at 51.3 million Fijian dollars (€20 million), covering the Pacific region’s 14 Pacific Island countries as well as Timor-Leste.
The Pacific Community (SPC) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) welcomed the strengthened partnership.
The Pacific Community’s Director General, Dr Paula Vivili, said the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent “reinforces regional solidarity.”
