CabSMART Project Manager Mr. Sylvester Jr. Diake (front left), Makira Provincial Premier Hon. Stanley Siapu (second left), Provincial Secretary Mr. Chris Waiwori, members of the Makira Provincial Government delegation, and CabSMART staff following their meeting.
Makira-Ulawa backs Marine Plan
Honiara, 25 September 2026: The Makira-Ulawa Provincial Government has welcomed the Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) initiative under the Climate and Biodiversity-Smart Marine Spatial Programme (CaB-Smart MSP).
The initiative aims to strengthen marine planning, conservation and sustainable management of ocean resources, while supporting climate resilience and biodiversity conservation.
On 2 September 2026, the Premier and members of the Makira-Ulawa Provincial Government Executive met with the CaB-Smart MSP team, led by Project Manager Mr Sylvester Jr. Diake, at the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) in Honiara.
The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the initiative and opportunities for provincial involvement. For Makira-Ulawa, the process will consider fisheries, marine conservation areas, community interests and other uses of the province’s marine environment.
The Provincial Government also highlighted the importance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and community profiling to better understand local needs and priorities.
Premier Hon. Stanley Siapu welcomed the initiative, saying:
“The information provided will be valuable in strengthening our understanding and planning for the sustainable management of our sea and marine resources.”
Mr Diake welcomed the Provincial Government’s support and emphasized the importance of working closely with provincial authorities and communities.
“Marine Spatial Planning is about bringing people, communities, government and other stakeholders together to better understand and plan how our marine spaces and resources are used and managed.”
The CaB-Smart MSP team looks forward to continued engagement with the Makira-Ulawa Provincial Government, communities, national government ministries, development partners and other stakeholders.
The engagement marks an important step towards coordinated planning and sustainable management of Makira-Ulawa’s marine resources for present and future generations.
The Climate and Biodiversity-Smart Marine Spatial Programme is supported by the Government of New Zealand and implemented in the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Niue, Palau and Solomon Islands, with collaborative projects supported by SPREP and SPC.
Source: CaB-Smart MSP / MFMR Media
