SOLOMON Islands will appear before the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) in February 2026 in relation to its second extended continental shelf claim with Fiji, known as the Melanesian Border Plateau.
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele confirmed this on Wednesday while winding up the sine die motion in Parliament.
PM Manele said both the Melanesian Border Plateau claim and the Ontong Java Plateau claim — lodged jointly with Papua New Guinea and the Federated States of Micronesia — represent extensions of Solomon Islands’ sovereign rights.
He said the matter highlights the country’s identity as a large ocean state.
“On the matter of the ocean, Solomon Islands is a large ocean state,” the Prime Minister said.
“As custodian of the ocean, we hosted two ocean-related events in-country — one global and the other regional,” he added.
Mr Manele said Solomon Islands hosted the SDG 14.4 Summit in February, which took a global stocktake of the world’s tuna resources, and the Pacific Ocean Conference in September.
He said the Government has also ratified the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), actively participated in the Third United Nations Ocean Conference held in France in June, and launched the Melanesian Ocean Reserve.
On maritime partnerships, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of broad-based cooperation with all countries that are signatories to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“We need broad-based partnerships and to work with all countries who are signatories to UNCLOS. The ocean remains our identity, our present and our future,” he said.
He said strengthening national capacity and capability remains a core national interest as Solomon Islands works with partners to map coastal waters, protect marine resources and uphold the law of the sea, in line with the rights of indigenous peoples of the ocean.
On behalf of the Government and people of Solomon Islands, Mr Manele expressed sincere gratitude to bilateral and multilateral development partners for their continued support.
“Your partnership has been instrumental in advancing our development priorities across many sectors, including infrastructure, health, education, finance, climate resilience and governance,” he said.
“As we prepare for our LDC graduation, our 50th Independence Anniversary and beyond, these partnerships remain vital to ensuring a smooth transition and sustained development.”
The Prime Minister also acknowledged the churches for their prayers and support for national leaders, the Government and all Members of Parliament.
