UniFiji amplifies Pacific voices to protect our oceans and communities

The University of Fiji is championing Pacific indigenous voices at the United Nations, calling for traditional knowledge and fair ocean governance to be central in global decision-making.

At the United Nations Headquarters in New York, Setareki Ledua of UniFiji told world leaders that indigenous peoples and local communities must be at the heart of protecting the world’s oceans.

Ledua’s message, rooted in ancestral knowledge and cultural stewardship, was delivered as he represented Fiji and the Pacific at the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Preparatory Commission.

He says the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement, adopted in 2023 under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, is a legally binding treaty to conserve marine biodiversity in the high seas, which make up nearly two thirds of the ocean.

Ledua’s participation marks a critical moment for small island nations, which are often sidelined in global policy despite being on the frontlines of climate change and biodiversity loss.

He says UniFiji’s earlier work through its Drua Project and legal submissions to Fiji’s Parliament helped lay the foundation for international engagement.

Ledua emphasizes that UniFiji is emerging as Fiji’s leading independent think-tank on environmental justice, ensuring that the Pacific remains a moral compass in ocean governance.

He says the university is already creating pathways for research, education, and advocacy, including joint projects on high seas conservation, teaching programs on international ocean law, engagement with new Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction bodies, and calls for the establishment of an Indigenous Peoples Advisory Mechanism.

Ledua says these initiatives will benefit students, researchers, and local communities across the Pacific by building capacity and ensuring fair access to marine resources.

With the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement set to enter into force after 60 ratifications, Ledua says Pacific voices are more critical than ever, and UniFiji’s role will ensure they are not only heard but embedded in the process.