The Government of Solomon Islands, through the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE), has called for the creation of a new regional advocacy initiative – the Pacific Water Warrior Mechanism – to strengthen the Pacific’s voice on water security at all levels.
Speaking at the 9th Pacific Water and Wastewater Ministers Meeting (PWWM) in Honiara this week, Permanent Secretary Dr Christopher Vehe said, the initiative would empower champions from across the region, including ministers, technical leaders, women, youth and civil society.
He stressed that water must be recognised not only as a technical issue, but also as a political, economic, health, and survival priority for the Blue Pacific.
Dr Vehe highlighted that, for the first time in history, water will be formally placed on the agenda of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, which will be held in Honiara next month.
He explained that Solomon Islands had successfully tabled a paper on water and sanitation at the recent Forum Officials Committee in Suva, and that this breakthrough paves the way for the outcomes of the 9th PWWM to be presented directly to regional leaders.
He described this as a “historic achievement” and urged fellow ministers to support elevating water to the highest political level.
The Pacific Water Warrior Mechanism is intended to drive advocacy in both regional and international forums, including the UN Water Conference in Dubai in 2026 and the World Water Forum in Riyadh in 2027.
It will also nurture a new generation of Pacific Water Warriors through training, mentoring, and leadership development programmes, in partnership with regional organisations such as the Pacific Community (SPC), the Pacific Water and Wastewater Association (PWWA), its Young Water Professionals Programme, and the Pacific Resilience Partnership Water Security Working Group.
Dr Vehe called on ministers to endorse the mechanism as a long-term regional initiative to mobilise resources, build capacity, and ensure continuity of political leadership for water security in the Pacific.
He also urged support for recognising outgoing, current and incoming PWWM Chairs as champions of Pacific water security, with strong backing from regional institutions to maintain water as a priority issue in Pacific Islands Forum and United Nations processes.
Emphasising the urgency of collective action, Dr Vehe said that without water there can be no health, food security, resilience, or sustainable development.
He added that Solomon Islands, as host of the 9th PWWM, is committed to ensuring that water security remains at the centre of regional discussions and that leaders, both present and future, are empowered to carry this agenda forward.
Regional leaders have now formally endorsed the Pacific Water Warrior Mechanism, and it has been included in the 9th PWWM communiqué as a long-term initiative for the Blue Pacific.
– OPMC
